DRUG TESTING POLICY APPROVED FOR OISD

A drug testing policy will be put into effect this fall for Olney ISD
students following action taken at a called meeting of the Board of
Trustees Friday, July 18.

Members in attendance were David Ickert, Steve Stephens, John
Meredith, Jeff Harvey, Kelly Mahler and Jan Williams, and all
approved the drug testing policy. Mark McClelland was the only member
not present.

"I've talked to the school's attorney and TASB legal services, and
everyone is ok with the policy," Superintendent Tom Bailey noted.

He said Olney's policy will be similar to those adopted by other
schools in the area, but will contain a few key differences to make
it as encompassing as possible. The purpose of the policy, according
to information to be included in all student handbooks, is to prevent
injury, illness and harm resulting from the use of illegal and
performance-enhancing drugs; help enforce a drug-free educational
environment; deter student use of illegal and performance-enhancing
drugs; and educate students regarding the harm caused by the use of
drugs.

According to the policy, "Drug test results shall be used only to
determine eligibility for participation in extracurricular
activities. Positive drug test results shall not be used to impose
disciplinary sanctions or academic penalties."

The policy states that OISD will require drug testing of any student
in grades seven through 12 who chooses to participate in any
school-sponsored extracurricular activity, including all athletic
events, cheerleading, academic clubs, special interest clubs, musical
performances, dramatic productions, student government, fine arts
organizations, industrial technology and agricultural organizations,
as well as any other activity that participates in contests,
competitions or community service projects as a representative of the
school district. Students who drive or park on school property will
also be subject to testing.

Eligible students in grades seven and nine who wish to participate in
any of the activities stated above will be tested at the beginning of
the school year, or before joining an extracurricular program at any
time during the year.

Also, students in grades seven through 12 who participate in any
school activities will be subject to random drug testing throughout
the year.

Testing procedures will include the submission of a urine sample by
students selected for testing. A designated school administrator will
be present at all times during performance of the test. In case of a
positive test result, the same sample will be sent to the lab for
further testing. Students and their guardians will be informed of
positive results, will meet with a school administrator, coach or
sponsor of the activity in question and will have seven days to
provide a medical explanation for the positive test.

The analysis will include testing for the presence of
performance-enhancing substances, including anabolic steroids;
marijuana; cocaine; methaqualone; benzodiazepines; phencyclidine
(PCP); methadone; barbiturates; propoxyhene; amphetamines; opiates
and metabolites of any of these substances.

Random tests will be conducted throughout the school year, and must
include at least 5 percent and no less than 35 percent of students
participating in the program on each test date. A random selection
method will be used by the drug testing laboratory to select
students for random testing, and students will receive no notice of
testing prior to the date and time chosen. A student who refuses to
be tested or is determined to have tampered with a sample will be
deemed to have a positive test.

Students who are eligible for testing will be required to submit to a
drug use test by a trained staff member if the staff members observes
that a student appears to be under the influence of a drug while on
school property or at a school-related activity, or immediately
before attending school or a school-related activity. These staff
members will be trained to recognize physical, behavioral and
performance indicators of probable misuse of a controlled substance.

Trained staff members, such as campus administrators, may also
request that a student be tested based on reasonable suspicion, which
can be achieved through personal observation concerning a student's
appearance, speech or behavior that indicates the effects of drug
use, or based on knowledge provided by a reliable source from
personal knowledge that the student is selling, distributing, in
possession of or under the influence of a drug while on district
property or at a school-related event.

Any student observed to be under the influence of a controlled
substance will be included in the pool of students tested on the next
available test date, and will subject to disciplinary action as
outlined in the student code of conduct. Students who test positive
under a reasonable suspicion test will be subject to the same
consequences.

All parents and students will receive a copy of the policy and a
consent form prior to participation in any extracurricular activity
or prior to driving and parking on campus. A meeting with student
participants and their parents or guardians will be scheduled at the
beginning of each semester for students wishing to participate in
activities. Before a student may participate in an extracurricular
activity, he or she must sign a consent form agreeing to be subject
to all rules and procedures of the drug testing program. If consent
is not given, the student may not participate in extracurricular
activities.

Bailey said the board must still approve a contract with a drug
testing laboratory, and that testing will begin later in the fall.

"But not until an adequate amount of time has passed for everyone to
be well-informed," he said. "There's going to be a lot of education
on the drug testing policy before anyone's tested."

Consequences and education will be mandated for students who have a
confirmed positive drug test.

For the first offense, a student will be suspended from an
extracurricular activity for 30 calendar days following notification
of the positive result. The student must be retested at the end of
that period, and must have a negative test result, to return to
participation in the activity. During the suspension period, the
student may not drive or park on campus, and may practice but not
compete in extracurricular activities. The student will be subject to
testing at the next six random test days, and will be required to
attend substance abuse counseling sessions at the expense of the
student and his or her parent or guardian.

The second offense will include all of the penalties described above,
along with a 90 day activity suspension. A third offense will require
all penalties as well as a suspension for one calendar year, as well
as all other consequences outlined previously.

Also at the meeting, trustees approved the application from BP
Alternative Energy for a tax abatement tied to a proposed wind farm
project. The energy company has asked the district for a tax
abatement for the next 10 years. In exchange, the company will pay
the district 40 percent of what its taxes would be for that period,
which will equal approximately $10 million.

"We'll get it moving as quickly as possible," Bailey said, noting
that this was only the first step of many to get the agreement
settled and the project off the ground.

Later, a consulting contract was approved with Moak, Casey and
Associates, which will represent OISD in all communications with BP
Alternative Energy throughout the wind farm project. The fee to hire
the firm is $50,000, including an initial payment of $20,000 and a
$30,000 payment later in the project.

"That's the same amount of application fee we received from BP,"
Ickert pointed out.

Approval was also given to the Student Handbook and Athletic
Handbook, which each reflect changes including the new drug testing
policy.