Pubdate: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 Source: Navasota Examiner (TX) Copyright: 2008 The Navasota Examiner Contact: http://www.navasotaexaminer.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3052 Author: Dave Lewis NISD STUDENTS AND PARENTS BRIEFED Random drug testing is now a fact of campus life for students on the junior high and high school campuses in Navasota, and students and parents were briefed on the procedures last week. "The students were very interested and courteous as we went through the steps, then asked questions afterward," said junior high principal Amy Jarvis after the Sept. 4 assemblies in which students learned how the program works. A similar assembly was held on the high school campus the same day, and another that evening in the junior high cafeteria. Parents, students and the public were invited to attend the Thursday night session, where Ron Davis of Forward Edge, Inc., presented the program Navasota will follow. Forward Edge is the firm contracted by the school to oversee the testing procedure and coordinate security measures for accurate sampling, then forward the specimens to a private laboratory in Pasadena for analysis. Beginning this school year, all students in extracurricular activities or who drive to school and have parking passes, will be subject to random testing. Specific categories of drugs the tests will focus on include opiates and narcotics, depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens. The test battery does not include steroids. To begin a testing cycle, a list of students is randomly generated by computer the evening before test day. Students are identified by number only, so no one knows who is to be tested until the time the procedure begins. Davis explained the chain of custody and control procedures that involve the students as well as those overseeing the tests. Student safety and privacy are to be rigidly observed at all steps of the testing. In the event a student tests positive for the presence of one or more of the drugs in the battery, the parent or guardian will be notified the following day. From there, it is the parent or guardian's responsibility to contact the school to determine the reason. Davis said there are circumstances in which an appropriate explanation for the positive result may exist, but it's up to the parents to make contact. He also noted that a refusal to test is considered an automatic positive test. The first positive test will result in a student's suspension from practice or participation in extracurricular activities for 15 school days. A second positive results in a 30 school day suspension, and a third is a 180-day suspension. During the suspension period, students remain in school but cannot take part in extracurricular activities and must meet with a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. The suspensions from extracurricular activities also carry over from semester to semester and even into the next school year if necessary. Specific questions regarding the program may be directed to the campus principals at Navasota ISD. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart