DISTRICT TO START NEW PROGRAM FOR DRUG AWARENESS

WASHINGTON TWP. -- District officials say that a new drug awareness
program for the elementary schools, written by two of its teachers,
is tailored to help kids deal with the issues they face today.

The new program, Students in Training to Act Responsibly in
Township, or START, will be taught to students in first through
fifth grade instead of Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, or
DARE, which has been taught in schools since 1983.

Teachers Nick Bozza and Domenick Renzi said the START program, which
they developed last year, teaches lessons similar to those taught in
DARE, such as dealing with peer pressure and resisting drugs and violence.

But it also incorporates topics more relative to current issues such
as Internet safety, cyberbullying and steroids.

"We're a suburban school and DARE is really for an urban community,"
Bozza said. "We looked at the requirements and streamlined it so
it's more effective, more meaningful for students."

Bozza and Renzi worked with the district's substance abuse
counselors and other teachers last year to develop the curriculum.
By using role-playing to deliver the messages, Bozza said he expects
the students to experience a more hands-on approach.

Most of the topics covered, such as peer pressure and bullying, are
also taught through the guidance and health programs, Bozza said.

"Now they'll be able to focus more in-depth on the core issues,
rather than just a bit of each," Bozza said.

Instead of a 16-week program, students will meet twice, four times a
week or for five weeks, depending on their grade.

Because of the change, only one full-time officer and several
officers working part time will be needed to teach the course. In
previous years, three full-time officers were paid their full
salaries and benefits for teaching the DARE program.

Officers teaching DARE also had to undergo 80 hours of training in
child development, teaching techniques, classroom management and
communication skills. District teachers and guidance counselors will
be responsible for teaching officers those skills and the START
program's curriculum, Bozza said.

Police Capt. Kenneth Condit said the schedules and pay for the
officers have not yet been decided, but the change means the
officers will spend more time on the streets, instead of in the
classroom. Two officers also work full-time as resources in the high school.

"It was a big drain on our resources, without increasing the size of
the department, to put five officers in the school full time," Capt.
Condit said. "Not having grown as a department in numbers for
several years, it's a matter of adjusting our resources to better
suit the needs of the community while maintaining the level of
service with the program."