SCHOOL BOARD EXPECTED TO CONTRACT WITH DRUG TESTING COMPANY

Grapevine-Colleyville: Students In Activities To Be Screened Randomly

The Grapevine-Colleyville school board is expected to approve a
contract Monday night that allows a drug testing company based in
Tyler to screen students for illicit drugs, including steroids. The
school district will recommend T.H.E. Lab, which performs drug
testing for up to 10 colleges and more than 40 school districts in
Texas. It conducts steroid testing for local districts such as
Mesquite, Rockwall and Forney.

Grapevine-Colleyville will implement random, unannounced drug testing
starting this fall to students involved in sports and other
activities. The decision to test came after The Dallas Morning News
reported in February that nine Colleyville Heritage High athletes,
seven of them football players, admitted that they had used steroids
during the previous school year.

The recommendation calls for a one-year contract with the option to
renew annually for four years. Four other companies vied for the contract.

T.H.E. Lab charges $13.50 per student for a drugs and alcohol test
and $115 per student for an anabolic steroid test. The district has
budgeted $27,000 to pay for the tests and will not pass along costs
to parents through additional activity fees.

The district's drug policy calls for testing 10 percent to 40 percent
of those students involved in high school activities for all illicit
drugs. Tom Thompson, director of T.H.E. Lab, said he is pleased about
the recommendation.

"I hope it's because of my experience overall with drug testing and
particularly testing athletes and students," said Mr. Thompson, who
has been in the drug testing business for 27 years.

In an e-mail, Danette Murray, the district's director of purchasing,
said the district is recommending the firm for several reasons
including the cost, the company's job performance based on references
and experience with state school districts.

Mr. Thompson said administrators also might have recommended his
company because of its lab in Lewisville. He said the company opened
the lab so it could more easily serve the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Mr. Thompson said the district asked for a comprehensive bid proposal
including such requirements as proof of certification and employee resumes.

"It was one of the most complex bids I've seen in high school and
college drug testing," Mr. Thompson said.

He said he thinks the proposal was detailed because the district
wants to be confident about its selection.

"It's not real comforting to have your school district plastered all
over TV about steroid use," he said. "I think they're just trying to
cover all their bases."

Board Vice President Nancy Coplen said she would review factors such
as cost and the company's location in making her decision. Ms. Coplen
said she also wants to check the references T.H.E. Lab received from
school districts and inquire about how the drug testing will be
administered on campuses.

Mr. Thompson said one challenge some school districts have faced in
the first year of testing is remaining consistent with their drug
policies and any sanctions imposed.

"If you have a weak administrator, one that doesn't know the policy
and one that will let other people influence their decision -- be it
their faculty, coaches or parents -- then they're going to open
themselves for problems," Mr. Thompson said.

He said the person who writes the drug policy usually serves as the
program administrator, who will implement sanctions and meet with parents.

Grapevine-Colleyville joins at least 22 North Texas districts that
have mandatory drug-testing programs, a recent News survey showed. At
least eight of those test for steroids.

Parents and students can learn about the new drug-testing program at
7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 at Colleyville Heritage High.

District officials will educate attendees about the policy and how
testing will be implemented. District spokeswoman Robin McClure said
parents can also learn how to place their students in a voluntary
pool for testing.