Pubdate: Sun, 21 Jan 2007
Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA)
Copyright: 2007 PG Publishing
Contact:  http://www.post-gazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/341
Author: Shari L. Berg

VOLUNTARY DRUG TESTING PROGRAM CONSIDERED

Plan to Encourage Drug and Alcohol Abstinence and Promote Safe 
Driving Could Begin As Early As March

The South Butler School District is considering a  policy that would 
bring voluntary student drug testing  to the district, making it the 
second school in Butler  County to implement such a program.

South Butler school board members discussed the  possibility at their 
Jan. 10 meeting. As part of the  initiative, voluntary drug testing 
could start as early  as March.

The program, called Stand Tall, is designed to teach  students to 
abstain from drug and alcohol and to  promote safe driving, including 
not riding in a car  with someone who has been drinking. It also is 
designed  to curb bullying. The program was introduced to the 
administration, which supports the idea, by the  district's drug 
testing study committee, district  spokesman Todd O'Shell said.

Three staff members presented the program to the board:  Rick Cavett, 
Knoch Middle School assistant principal;  Todd Trofimuck, Knoch High 
School assistant principal;  and Lisa Knappenberger, high school 
physical education  teacher.

Ms. Knappenberger said she liked the program because it  doesn't use 
strong-arm tactics.

"It's a commitment to making good decisions, not just  coming to 
meetings once a month," she said.

The program would be open to all students in the high  school, Mr. 
Cavett said. It would be the district's  goal to expand it to the 
middle school for next school  year if the initial phase in the high 
school was  well-received by students and parents.

To participate in the program, students would have to  have a parent 
or guardian sign a permission slip.  Youngsters would then promise 
not to use drugs or  alcohol, Mr. Trofimuck said, and would be 
required to attend regular Stand Tall meetings.

A unique aspect of the program is that a child has to  agree to participate..

"Students and parents both have to sign the consent  forms," Mr. 
Trofimuck said. "If we have a parent submit  a form and the student 
hasn't signed it, we will not  force [the student] to participate."

Students who participate will be randomly tested for  drug and 
alcohol use. Any who test positive would be  referred to the 
district's student assistance program,  Ms. Knappenberger said. All 
results would be kept  confidential and referred only to a school counselor.

Students who test positive would not be reprimanded by  the district 
unless school policy was violated in a  secondary way, such as 
possessing drugs or alcohol on  school property, Mr. Cavett said.

If a student selected to be tested refused to take the  test, Ms. 
Knappenberger said, parents would be  notified.

"But we won't force the student to take the test," she  said. "That's 
not how this program works. It'll be up  to the parent to decide 
where to take it from there if  their child refuses the test."

Students who sign up for the program would be assigned  an 
identification number, Ms. Knappenberger said. To  keep the monthly 
testing truly random, participants'  identification numbers would be 
drawn from a  container..

"We hope to be able to test four kids in March, then,  hopefully, 
increase that to eight students in both  April and May," she said.

The program also calls for incentives for students who  stay clean, 
including gift cards to restaurants and  retail stores, as well as 
the possibility of pizza and  ice cream parties for participants who 
make it through  the year without testing positive.

Mr. Trofimuck said there were roughly 1,050 students in  the high 
school, and that they anticipated that 300 to  400 would sign up for 
the program.

"I think we'll be surprised by the number of kids who  will 
participate," Ms. Knappenberger said.

If approved, the testing will be conducted by the  Butler Visiting 
Nurses Association, Ms. Knappenberger  said. Tests cost $25 each and 
would be paid for  initially out of a $9,000 Drug Free School Grant.

"The long-term plan is to have the program be a part of  our local 
community, and seek assistance from the  community as well as local 
businesses to help keep it  going once the grant money no longer is 
available," Mr.  Cavett said.

This spring would be the testing phase of the program,  Ms. 
Knappenberger said, which would give the district a  chance to work 
out kinks before the plan is expanded  next year.

The board is expected to vote on the measure at its  meeting Feb. 14.

South Butler would be the second school to implement  the program if 
it receives final approval. Butler Area  Junior High School started a 
Stand Tall program this  school year.

The Seneca Valley School District also has drug  testing, but it is 
mandatory for students who  participate in athletics or 
extra-curricular activities  or who want parking permits to drive to school.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine