Pubdate: Wed, 17 Nov 1999
Source: Bergen Record (NJ)
Copyright: 1999 Bergen Record Corp.
Contact:  http://www.bergen.com/cgi-bin/feedback
Website: http://www.bergen.com/
Author: Teresa M. McAleavy, Staff Writer

FAIR LAWN SCHOOLS FORM DRUG TASK FORCE

Educators who decided in April to make public the findings of a district 
wide drug survey are busy enlisting students, parents, and community 
members in efforts to curb substance abuse.

The district has formed a task force that will explore prevention, 
intervention, and law enforcement tools to keep kids off drugs. The effort 
began after a survey of public school students in Grades 4 through 12 found 
that many young people in Fair Lawn, like their counterparts nationwide, 
are using or have tried alcohol and drugs.

After learning that 18 percent of Fair Lawn's fourth-grade students have 
tried alcohol, 1 percent cigarettes, and 6 percent inhalants, school 
district leaders decided they must go beyond merely telling kids to "just 
say no."

"This is a problem attacking all of society, and you cannot solve it with 
schools alone, parents alone, or law enforcement alone," said Matt Markman, 
high school student assistance counselor. "You need the whole community 
involved."

Markman asked senior James Laudicina to join the task force's drug 
intervention committee. The committee's goal is to teach parents about the 
warning signs of substance abuse and to see that anyone who needs treatment 
for addiction gets help.

"Our first goal is to get local businesses to contribute so we can create a 
fund for people who have to go through drug rehab," said Laudicina, 17. 
"Most insurance companies won't pay for it, and it costs a lot."

Laudicina said he'll be happy to knock on doors for donations. His desire 
to join the task force was fueled in part by the recent death of classmate 
Stephen Ciolino Jr.

The 17-year-old was killed after a sport-utility vehicle he was a passenger 
in crashed while going about 70 mph on Plaza Road. The driver had used 
cocaine moments before the wreck, officials said.

"This is important because I just don't want to go to another funeral this 
year -- or ever, for that matter," Laudicina said. "The message to everyone 
is, 'Don't let Steve die in vain.' "

Law enforcement officials would not identify the driver because she is a 
juvenile. But in the days after the accident, educators and classmates 
identified her as Rebecca Foy, 17. She has been charged by the Bergen 
County Prosecutor's Office with death by auto, possession of cocaine, 
driving while intoxicated, and other crimes.

"There's no question, something like that is an eye-opener for the entire 
community," Schools Superintendent Robert Byrne said. "It galvanizes the 
attention of everyone. But at a certain point we have to put it behind us, 
and look forward to the future."

Making sure that the task force has well-defined objectives for years to 
come is one way to do that, he said. That's why he is asking members of the 
Fair Lawn Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, local government, law 
enforcement, and mental health agencies to join the task force.

"We all need to be involved," said Vicki Lent, who as the mother of two 
high school students has signed on to chair the task force's parent 
awareness committee. "Parents need to be as streetwise as the kids are. 
We're trying to get those who normally don't come out to join, because we 
all need to wake up to these things."

Anonymous results of the American Drug and Alcohol Survey, which has been 
used in other North Jersey school districts, were compiled by the Rocky 
Mountain Behavioral Science Institute in Colorado. It asked about types of 
substances students have tried, the perceived availability of drugs, and 
where students use alcohol and drugs.

In addition to the news about fourth-graders, the survey showed that 
alcohol had been tried by 35 percent of sixth-graders and cigarettes by 7 
percent. None reported using marijuana. Among seventh-graders surveyed, 42 
percent had tried alcohol, 2 percent had tried marijuana, and 22 percent 
had tried cigarettes. Some 59 percent of the students in eighth grade had 
used alcohol, 11 percent had smoked marijuana, and 35 percent had tried 
cigarettes.

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