OFFICIALS PROPOSE TWEAK TO DISTRICT DRUG POLICY

A proposed tweak of the Rockford School District discipline code would
adjust the district's drug and alcohol policy while giving school
officials more leeway to determine the extent of student punishment.

A year after the district adopted a new comprehensive discipline
policy, administrators are asking the School Board to approve a set of
mostly minor changes.

Superintendent Dennis Thompson said he hopes this is the only tweak of
the discipline code for a few years so it has time to effectively
reduce student disciplinary issues. Thompson championed the new system
as a way to bring consistency between schools and improve discipline
to the School District.

"As a general rule, we are trying to make sure administrators
understand they have leeway and options to fully weigh the individual
and the circumstances," Thompson said.

If approved by the Rockford School Board next month, the most
significant changes would break up a blanket drug and alcohol policy
into three separate infractions.

Under the proposed amendment, selling drugs would be considered a
separate offense from simply possessing drugs or alcohol.

Board President Nancy Kalchbrenner said it recognizes that selling
drugs should be subject to more severe punishment than possession.

"They are both bad, but we felt a different punishment was needed for
selling," Kalchbrenner said.

And students busted for bringing small amounts of marijuana to school
- -- which Thompson said is the most common reason for expulsion in
Rockford's public schools -- could be given the opportunity to seek
help in exchange for a reduced punishment on a first offense. The
standard 10-day suspension is reduced to five days if the student
undergoes a drug assessment by an approved agency under the
recommendation.

Board member Robert Evans said the change offers some students the
chance for rehabilitation instead of automatic suspension and possible
expulsion.

"The overall goal is to keep them in school," Evans said. "We want to
keep them and give them an incentive to stay in school where we can do
more for them."