9 KAUKAUNA STUDENTS WITHDRAW

Several Teens Avoid Expulsions for Drug Incidents

KAUKAUNA -- Parents of eight high school students and one middle
school student suspended last week for possessing or distributing
drugs agreed to voluntary withdrawals and suspensions to avoid expulsions.

Supt. Lloyd McCabe said two students were allowed to return to school
Monday after weeklong suspensions. The length of withdrawals for the
other seven students range from the beginning of the 2007-08 new
school year to an entire academic year.

"Most of them (parents) were pretty accepting. They felt it was a
fair process. They want their students to learn to do better, too,"
McCabe said.

Administrators are offering students the option to shorten their time
away from school if they go through voluntary assessments for
substance abuse and treatment.

They have yet to meet with families of seven other middle school
students and one high school student.

In all, the district's investigation of drug-related activity at
River View Middle School and Kaukauna High School resulted in the
suspensions of 17 male students.

Rather than conduct expulsion hearings with the Board of Education,
administrators chose to hold pre-expulsion meetings with the
families. The move gives students a chance to avoid having a school
expulsion on their records, McCabe said.

Administrators received tips about drug activity at the high school
on April 19 and at the middle school on April 20. School officials
called for backpack and locker searches.

The investigation resulted in allegations of distribution or
possession of prescription drugs and marijuana possession.

Kaukauna is the second Heart of the Valley school district to
discipline student for drug-related activity in recent weeks. The
Kimberly Area School District expelled nine freshmen for dealing in
prescription medications.