DRUG, ALCOHOL TESTS UNDER GUN

Federal Money For North Hunterdon/Voorhees Program Drying Up. Task
Force To Explore Options.

With federal funding set to expire in September 2007, North
Hunterdon/Voorhees Regional School District officials are planning a
full review of a random drug and alcohol testing program.

The program will enter its third year at both high schools in the
fall, but will lose federal money after the coming school year. A
reconvened task force is planning to tackle the finances, policy and
efficiency of the program before deciding how to proceed.

"What we're trying to do is get some type of public reaction and see
where the public wants us to go," said board of education member
Garry Peabody, who is co-chairman of the task force.

The task force's first meeting is scheduled for Aug. 22 and officials
encourage community members to attend. Anyone interested in joining
the task force may come to the meeting or contact the board of
education office at 908-735-2846.

The meeting will likely begin at 7 p.m. in the board of education
office at the North Hunterdon High School campus in Clinton Township.

Under the random testing policy, any high school student who drives
to school, is involved in a club or activity, or whose parents
volunteer the student for the program is entered into the testing pool.

About 10 percent of those students are selected for testing each
year, according to Charles Shaddow, the district superintendent.

Only a handful of those have tested positive, he said.

In one year, the district spent between $15,000 and $16,000 on tests
for the program, which is reimbursed by the federal grant, according
to Anita Lamison, the district human resources coordinator.

Each urine screen drug test costs $46 and each breath alcohol test
costs $12, she said.

The grant also pays a small portion of the salaries for employees who
coordinate and assess the testing, she said.

Besides funding, Peabody expects the task force will scrutinize the
district's reasonable suspicion policy in light of June's North
Hunterdon High School prom debacle.

Thirteen students were booted from the prom because administrators
believed they had been drinking alcohol and were sent for blood
tests, which is according to the policy.

Officials invited parents of those students to sit on the task force,
Peabody said.

As they did during board meetings after the prom, he expects they
will suggest the district buy breath tests and oral swab kits so
students can be tested on site.

"Personally, I don't think it's a bad idea," Peabody said of the breath test.