HALF OF ALL WCHS STUDENTS IN DRUG TESTING POOL, OFFICIALS SAY

Warsaw Community High School has had a drug testing policy for at
least 11 years, Dave Anson, WCHS assistant principal, said.

"Any student that is in an athletic program, any student that applies
for a parking tag and any student in a vocational program" is in the
testing pool, Anson said.

"In all, we get about half of the students in the testing pools. No
kid is in the pool more than once," said Anson.

If a student is an athlete, has a parking tag and is in a vocational
program, that student's name still only appears in the pool once. Some
students may never end up tested during their high school career,
while another may end up selected several times in a year.

A parent may request their child's name be put in the pool. If a
student tests positive one week for a high level of a substance, Anson
said the student may have follow-up tests to see if their substance
levels are declining.

"We test 20 times a year. We were testing more than that, but we cut
it down due to funding cutbacks," said Anson.

Instead of 500 total tests a year, Warsaw now does 400. Again, that
may include follow-up tests.

Athletes or drivers who test positive face the loss of privileges at
Valley, Kirk Doehrmann, Tippecanoe Valley High School principal, said.

"We test 20 students randomly, and we do that once a month throughout
the school year," Doehrmann said.

Each of the students in the testing pools at WCHS has a number.
Midwest Toxicology out of Lebanon, Ind., random selects and sends
Warsaw Community High School officials the numbers in advance of the
testing so passes can be prepared. On the day of the testing, students
are pulled out of their classes.

Valley also uses Midwest Toxicology.

Each testing day at Warsaw, 20 students are tested. There are
alternates if a student truly is absent from school that day. If a
student to be tested that day is offsite, School Resource Officer Dave
Morales will pick them up from the site.

Anson said one of his concerns of the procedure is the amount of time
a student is out of class because of the testing. It takes about 75
minutes for a student to be pulled out of class, waiting to take the
test and then take the test. However, he said they are working on that
and the testing is worth it. The testing and analyzing companies have
a lot of integrity, too, he said, and he's really impressed with them.

After Midwest Toxicology takes the tests, they send the urine samples
to Witham Laboratories for analysis. Witham tests the specimens twice
to confirm results.

Tests cost $30 each at Warsaw, but are $60 at Valley. Half of the cost
at Warsaw goes for the testing, and half for the analyzing. The drug
testing at Warsaw is funded by grant dollars and driving tag fees.

Doehrmann said Valley's drug-testing program is a pretty standard
test. The expenses are covered through grants from KCODE in Kosciusko
County and Fulton County LLC. Fees for student parking tags also help
cover the costs. Valley is looking at having parents cover the costs
of any follow-up drug tests given to students after students have
tested positive for drugs the first time.

If the grants dry up, Doehrmann said, "We would look for alternative
sources. We would continue through our parking tags, but probably more
on a limited basis."

It takes anywhere from 1 to 1-1/2 weeks for school officials to get
the results back, Anson said.

Students are made aware of their results. If a student tests positive,
a meeting is called that includes the student, parents, the program
director and the student assistance program coordinator, which is
generally their counselor, according to Anson.

Doehrmann said Valley students are notified of the results by mail if
they test negative, but their parents are contacted if they test positive.

"Between all the pools, we have maintained from 4 percent to roughly
8-1/2 percent as positives," said Anson. That includes tests given to
students to see if their substance levels declined from the previous
test, as well as students who test positive for tobacco and legal
prescriptions. It is legal for an 18-year-old student to smoke or chew
tobacco in Indiana. A parent must verify that a student is taking a
legal prescription.

Doehrmann said Valley's results are about the same as
Warsaw's.

The tests look for 10 substances, including amphetamines and
methamphetamines, barbituates, benzodiazepines, cocaine metabolite,
opiates, phencyclidine, cannabinoids, urine alcohol, cotinine and methadone.

Doehrmann said if a student tests positive, a meeting is held with
him, the student, and the parents. They talk about how many positives
the student may have had and the consequences. They also talk about
the student getting support at a place like the Bowen Center.

"It's rare that we ever have a repeat offender," Doehrmann
said.

Depending which pool a student is in, that is where the consequences
will fall at Warsaw. All pools will have their driving privileges
revoked or suspended for a period of time for testing positive.

If a student is an athlete, the first violation will result in a
suspension from participation in athletic competition and forfeiture
of eligibility for any honors or awards for WCHS for one calendar year
from the date of the first offense, according to the athletic
handbook. There also are other conditions set upon the student athlete.

The 365-day suspension will be reduced to 50 percent of the scheduled
contests and competitions for the current or upcoming sports season if
the student participates in a WCHS-approved substance abuse program.
If a violation occurs with less than 50 percent of the contests
remaining, the student will be suspended from the remaining contests
in that season and the remaining percentage of the suspension will be
served in the next sport in which the individual participates.

A second violation results in exclusion from participation in athletic
competition and forfeiture of eligibility for any honors or awards
from WCHS for one calendar year from the date of the second offense,
as well as other conditions. A third violation results in exclusion
from participation in all sports for the remainder of the student's
high school career.

If a student is in the drivers pool, the first offense would result in
a suspension of their driving privileges, Anson said. A subsequent
positive test would result in a 365-day suspension. A third violation
would result in suspension of driving privileges for the remainder of
the student's high school career.

Anson said the school doesn't want to take away a student's
educational opportunities. If a student in a vocational program
violates the drug policy, the student will be put on probationary
status. Subsequent offenses could mean removal from the vocational
program.

"We don't get too many third offenses. We don't get that many second
offenses. The effectiveness in the program lies in that we have it at
all. It is a deterrent," said Anson.

Doehrmann said, "Students have been fine with (the random drug
testing). They don't seem to have a problem with it. Quite a few
students would like to see their school be drug free."