KIMBERLY DRUG PLAN INCLUDES RANDOM TESTS OF STUDENTS

Nearly 200 Meet to Address Drug Use in Schools

KIMBERLY -- Random drug testing of student athletes plus new ways to
empower students to refrain from drug use are part of a proposal presented
Monday by Kimberly Area School District administrators.

Some 200 teachers, village officials and parents attended the Board of
Education meeting in the high school gym.

A committee of administrators and teachers spent several months developing
the proposal and gathering input from students and parents. The effort
began after a Search Institute study revealed widespread drug and alcohol
use by high school and middle school students.

Since November, 11 students have been expelled for possession or sale of
prescription drugs or marijuana. Most have been readmitted after
counseling, drug testing and random searches of the students and their
vehicles, high school Principal Mike Rietveld said.

"We're not proud of this data," Supt. Mel Lightner said. "But we do not
tolerate the possession or sale of drugs on this campus or on the middle
school campus."

"The availability (of drugs) scares me," Paul Langenberg, high school
policeschool liaison officer, told the group. "The community has to step
forward and pressure them."

New policies of random drug testing of students in cocurricular activities,
including sports, and for those who park vehicles on school grounds will be
considered by the school board May 13. Failing a drug test would result in
suspension from the activity or revocation of parking privileges.

Five districts in the state have a drug testing policy for cocurriculars,
Lightner said. "We are going to make kids accountable."

As part of the proposal, dubbed Operation Clean, the district will notify
students and parents about suspected drug use. Upon a parent's request, the
district will conduct drug testing of a child, Lightner said.