VIOLENCE, DRUG USE SAID DOWN IN ARIZONA SCHOOLS

(AP) -- A state report says Arizona's schools had less violence and
drugs last year than a year earlier.

The Department of Education reported that fewer students made threats
and that there was less use of marijuana and cigarettes.

The 2000 Comprehensive Health and Prevention Program Survey for the
1999-2000 school year is based on data reported by schools in response
to a state request.

Statewide, the department said, there was a 38 percent drop in reports
of threats and intimidation - from 18,854 in 1999 to 11,660 in 2000. The
category includes any call or verbal threat to hurt someone or make
someone fear harm.

There was a decline of nearly 50 percent in the number of cigarette
violations, from 7,685 to 4,080, and marijuana violations dropped by 14
percent, the report said.

Some officials said the reductions in violence, tobacco and alcohol or
drug use were at least in part a response to school officials' efforts.

Seventy-one percent of the schools said they addressed violence
prevention; 86 percent addressed tobacco-use prevention; and 91 percent
addressed alcohol-or drug-use prevention.

In addition, 86 percent of the schools reported they have a closed
campus while 31 percent said they routinely check bags, desks or
lockers.

Eric Williams, the school resource officer at Scottsdale's Mountainside
Middle School and vice president of the state's resource officer group,
said schools make a conscious effort to halt campus bullying.

"I think we're much more in tune that it can be a potential problem and
lead to more serious things," he said.

Mike Helminski, principal of Scottsdale's Kiva Elementary School,
agreed, though there appeared to be a high number of total policy
violations at his school.

"We believe the only way to encourage positive behavior is for us to
monitor that and praise (students) and help them understand the
consequences when they do cruel teasing or taunting or disrupting the
classroom," he said.

It's made a difference, he said: A recent survey showed 96 percent of
the parents felt their children were very safe on campus.