DRUG SUPPORT TEAM DEVELOPED

AGAWAM - Faced with growing concerns about student drug use, school
officials have formed a new district-wide support team for students
at risk of using drugs, school officials said yesterday.

The team, formed by Superintendent of Schools Mary A. Czajkowski,
includes administrators, adjustment counselors, parents and Daniel
Bonafilia, the high school's new resource officer, Czajkowski said.

"The message has to be clear: School is a place for learning, not for
drugs," Czajkowski said.

The formation of the team, which will meet weekly, comes a month
after the publication of statistics gathered in a survey by members
of The Mirror, the student newspaper at Agawam High School.

Survey results showed 52 percent of the student body consumes
alcohol, with 29 percent using drugs. More than 700 members of the
1,300-member student body took the survey, the newspaper said.

Students admitted to trying a variety of drugs, including marijuana,
56 percent; prescription drugs like Oxycontin, 17 percent; cocaine,
12 percent; Ecstasy, 9 percent; and heroin, 8 percent.

Czajkowski said yesterday she is not certain how accurate the
statistics are, but credited The Mirror's staff with bringing the
issue to the forefront. "It raised awareness, and if that's what the
intention was for the story, it did its job," said Czajkowski, who
called the statistics "a cry for help." Police Chief Robert D.
Campbell also questioned how "scientific" the students' polling was,
but said the city has a drug problem similar to many surrounding
suburbs, with marijuana, cocaine, Oxycontin and heroin all in circulation.

"Parents need to be the number one line of defense when it comes to
keeping their kids away from drugs," he said. "They're the ones who
should be noticing the change in habits and the change in friends."

Susan A. Hearn, a parent and member of Czajkowski's team, credited
the district with attempting to be proactive with the city's drug
problem. "There shouldn't be a stigma involved with getting your
children help," Hearn said. "We're going to get information out there
for parents on what to do if you think your kids are using."

Czajkowski estimated that the school district currently has at least
10 students in recovery for substance abuse, but said she isn't
certain how that compares to surrounding school districts.

"The reality is, we are not unique, but I'm not someone who is going
to sweep this under the rug," she said. "We'll work together to get
this solved, but it's not going to be easy."