Pubdate: Wed, 04 Oct 2006
Source: Gloucester County Times (NJ)
Copyright: 2006 Gloucester County Times
Contact:  http://www.gctimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1153
Author: Jessica Beym

DISTRICT TO START NEW PROGRAM FOR DRUG AWARENESS

WASHINGTON TWP. -- District officials say that a new  drug awareness 
program for the elementary schools,  written by two of its teachers, 
is tailored to help  kids deal with the issues they face today.

The new program, Students in Training to Act  Responsibly in 
Township, or START, will be taught to  students in first through 
fifth grade instead of Drug  Abuse Resistance Education program, or 
DARE, which has  been taught in schools since 1983.

Teachers Nick Bozza and Domenick Renzi said the START  program, which 
they developed last year, teaches  lessons similar to those taught in 
DARE, such as  dealing with peer pressure and resisting drugs and violence.

But it also incorporates topics more relative to  current issues such 
as Internet safety, cyberbullying  and steroids.

"We're a suburban school and DARE is really for an  urban community," 
Bozza said. "We looked at the  requirements and streamlined it so 
it's more effective,  more meaningful for students."

Bozza and Renzi worked with the district's substance  abuse 
counselors and other teachers last year to  develop the curriculum. 
By using role-playing to  deliver the messages, Bozza said he expects 
the students to experience a more hands-on approach.

Most of the topics covered, such as peer pressure and  bullying, are 
also taught through the guidance and  health programs, Bozza said.

"Now they'll be able to focus more in-depth on the core  issues, 
rather than just a bit of each," Bozza said.

Instead of a 16-week program, students will meet twice,  four times a 
week or for five weeks, depending on their  grade.

Because of the change, only one full-time officer and  several 
officers working part time will be needed to  teach the course. In 
previous years, three full-time  officers were paid their full 
salaries and benefits for  teaching the DARE program.

Officers teaching DARE also had to undergo 80 hours of  training in 
child development, teaching techniques,  classroom management and 
communication skills. District  teachers and guidance counselors will 
be responsible  for teaching officers those skills and the START 
program's curriculum, Bozza said.

Police Capt. Kenneth Condit said the schedules and pay  for the 
officers have not yet been decided, but the  change means the 
officers will spend more time on the  streets, instead of in the 
classroom. Two officers also  work full-time as resources in the high school.

"It was a big drain on our resources, without  increasing the size of 
the department, to put five  officers in the school full time," Capt. 
Condit said.  "Not having grown as a department in numbers for 
several years, it's a matter of adjusting our resources  to better 
suit the needs of the community while  maintaining the level of 
service with the program."
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MAP posted-by: Elaine