DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE BY STUDENTS

The purpose of this policy is to promote and maintain a safe and healthful environment for the entire school community. In order to meet this goal, the Smithfield School Department adopts a substance abuse policy which delineates a plan of action which will aid students to abstain from the use of alcohol, other illicit drugs, and unauthorized drug use, intervene when student use is detected, take corrective disciplinary action, and provide aftercare and educational support for all students.

PREVENTION

The Smithfield School System will provide students with a varied program of instructional activities that will focus on preventing students from using alcohol and drugs. The prevention program will provide updated instructional strategies, guidance, interaction with families and community involvement.

INTERVENTION

The Smithfield School System will continue to establish and maintain a student assistance program along with ongoing inservice training for faculty and staff necessary for successful intervention and referral of students needing services. Specific intervention strategies:

A. The establishing and maintaining of a student assistance program that will:

1. Assess and develop goals

2. Recommend services such as assessment and counseling for students who have been referred

B. Specialized training in:

1. Procedures for confidentiality

2. Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction

3. Intervention procedures

C. Faculty and staff will be provided with ongoing in service designed to focus on characteristics of a comprehensive intervention program.

DISCIPLINE [NOTE: This section must be reviewed following the 2017 revision of the discipline policy.]

Any student found to be possessing, using, or selling illegal or unauthorized drugs or alcohol or possessing illegal drug paraphernalia shall be suspended for up to ten days and/or expelled for up to one year. This policy shall be enforced in the school building, on school property, on school buses, and at school-sponsored functions sanctioned by the school administration.

When a student violates the drug and alcohol policy:

A. The student will be immediately suspended for up to ten days.

B. The appropriate law enforcement/juvenile officer will be immediately notified, and all evidence turned over to him/her. All evidence must be kept in a secured location until it is turned over to the appropriate authority.

C. The parents/guardians of the student will be notified, and a conference with the principal scheduled as soon as possible.

D. A report will be sent to the Superintendent with a recommendation regarding whether or not the infraction warrants the additional penalty of expulsion.

E. All procedural guidelines for suspension or expulsion will be followed. All students have the right to a hearing and rights of appeal.

AFTERCARE

A. Students returning to school from a community inpatient or outpatient treatment program should be given aftercare educational support. Primary aftercare responsibility for students returning from a community treatment program rests with the student, parent, and community treatment program personnel.

B. School staff, the student, parents, and community treatment personnel will work cooperatively to facilitate the aftercare program.

ADOPTED: September 1998

Reviewed February 2011