DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE BY STUDENTS - GUIDELINES

Students are prohibited from attending school or school functions after having consumed or while under the influence of any mood altering chemical and are prohibited from drinking alcohol, taking illicit drugs, or possessing alcohol or drugs while in school or on school grounds, at school functions or on a school bus.

Students who violate the above rule shall be considered involved with drugs and/or alcohol in a potentially harmful way and shall be automatically referred through the following procedure:

First Offense

1. The appropriate administrator will notify the parent/guardian of the student involvement. The student will be given in-school suspension, if available, for up to 10 days. If in-school suspension is not available, the student will be suspended from school for up to 10 days.

The parent/guardian will be responsible for arranging for transportation home.

If parents or a relative can' t be reached, the individual will be turned over to appropriate law enforcement for protective custody.

The student will be placed on social probation for 0 school days. (Social probation is defined as not being allowed to take part in or attend activities beyond the academic classroom.)

2. On returning to regular classes after in-school suspension or suspension, the student shall be referred to his/her appropriate school counselor for an individual counseling session to determine the general nature of the individual's emotional, mental, and social health. Assessment tools are attached to assist in determining the nature of the substance use/abuse.

3. Assuming the student does cooperate and does complete the assessment, the student and his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) and his/her counselor will review the results of the entire assessment and establish a plan of action. The plan of action may include the following: discussing the issues with the student, setting up a written contract with him/her concerning the use or abuse of alcohol and/or drugs, and setting up several further counseling sessions. The counselor will arrange a follow-up conference with the student.

After the first offense, if in the opinion of the counselor the student's use of substances warrants a closer look, the parents will be contacted and urged to arrange an appointment with a substance abuse counselor.

Information gathered during the school counselor's assessment will be forwarded to the substance abuse counselor and parent(s)/guardian(s).

Second Offense

1. The appropriate administrator will notify the parent/guardian of the student involvement. The student will be given in-school suspension or suspension. Parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible for transporting their student home if the student is suspended. In-school suspension or suspension will continue until he/she has been evaluated by a substance abuse counselor and treatment recommendations have been made.

If the evaluation cannot be completed before the termination of the in-school suspension or suspension period, a meeting of parents, student and school authorities will be held to determine the most acceptable course of action.

After being reviewed and accepted by appropriate school personnel, these treatment recommendations must be followed in order that the student remains in school. The student will be placed on social probation for 40 school days. (Social probation is defined as not being allowed to take part in or attend activities beyond the academic classroom.)

2. The appropriate school counselor will gather some further information from teachers of the individual student through the attached confidential information form. All information gathered in the assessment process will be forwarded to the above mentioned substance abuse counselor.

Third Offense

1. The student will automatically be suspended by the principal pending possible indefinite expulsion by the board, following a proper investigation of the student's behavior. Re-entry to school will be contingent upon satisfactory evidence of successful completion of treatment recommendations as verified by the treatment agency and the Substance Abuse Review Team.

The student must give some indication that the behavior which was the cause of the student being expelled will not recur. The student will be placed on social probation for one year. (Social probation is defined as not being allowed to take part in or attend activities beyond the academic classroom.)

Miscellaneous Points

1. All cases of possession, sale, or transfer of illegal drugs, alcohol, and/or mood altering chemicals will be reported to the Sagadahoc Sheriff's Department. All alcohol, drugs, mood altering chemicals, and related paraphernalia confiscated will be turned over to the Sagadahoc Sheriff's Department.

2. Students suspected of drug/alcohol use will be referred to school counselors for preliminary assessment without disciplinary repercussions.

3. Students who request help for their drug/alcohol involvement will be assisted without disciplinary repercussions provided the request is not a ploy to escape punishment for an act committed prior to the request.

4. The time frame for the first, second, and third offenses is while the student is enrolled in the school system and shall be documented as an incident report in the student's health record.

5. When a student breaks social probation, the student shall be suspended automatically for five (5) school days.

6. A staffing will be held for any student requiring in-patient treatment to recommend tutoring while the student is in treatment. To help re-entry to the school community, the appropriate support group should function.

7. It is understood that all information gathered in the assessment and self-referral process will be treated in a confidential manner as much as possible and practical.

8. The Substance Abuse Policy Review Team will be comprised of members that the building administrator deems appropriate.

Adopted: February 28, 1994