OFFICIALS, POLICE SEEK TO TACKLE SCHOOL DRUG WOES

CUMBERLAND -- School officials and local police have introduced the draft
document of a plan meant to fight drug and alcohol problems among town youth.

"I just believe it is rampant from what kids tell me and from what I've
learned first- and second-hand," said Cumberland High School Principal
Stephen Driscoll.

A 34-year veteran educator, Driscoll called the problem he sees at the high
school the single biggest education inhibitor "for many, many kids -- too
many kids. I know this is an issue."

The Drug and Alcohol Action Plan is still a work in progress, said
Driscoll, who authored the draft. But the ideas come from a core group of
parents, school staff and local law enforcement representatives, crafted
during two recent Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings.

"This is a first pass and a good faith effort of people who care about
kids. Especially parents," Driscoll said of the draft.

The plan identifies 15 issues, covering such topics as diversion, parent
and peer education, surveillance and crisis intervention.

The plan addresses measures already in place, such as the DARE program and
health curricula, and highlights areas that the school district and
community in general need to address.

"We don't want just a straight and simple and sensational plan that merely
makes example of people. We want a complete plan that addresses support and
responsibility," Driscoll said, "But the intent is to be aggressive against
any and all drug activity among the kids."

That includes some seemingly simple solutions, such as more parental
supervision at school events. Alcohol use at Tucker Field has been an
ongoing problem that's led to the arrest of several students at local
sporting events. And incidents of marijuana and alcohol use during school
hours have also caught the attention of school staff and police.

"We need to make kids know it is important enough to us that adults will
take the time," Driscoll said.

The draft plan stresses the need to implement additional drug and alcohol
education into the curriculum and identifies ways to equip parents with
solutions to problems outside of school hours, such as parent conflict
training.

The action plan is a need parents have asked for, according to Driscoll. He
said the parents he has met with believe a program to address drug and
alcohol use should begin at the elementary level, through middle school and
into high school.

The plan calls for additional police intervention, identifying the use of
more consequential measures than those now in place, including random
searches by drug-sniffing dogs, sting operations, lockdowns and security
cameras.

"Everyone is in agreement. The residents, Principal Driscoll, the staff
recognize there is a problem," said Police Chief Anthony Silva.

Silva said, before the Police Department implemented any new measures,
there would be a clear plan created and "a lot of community notification,"
including notifying the students.

"We'll put forth a full protocol. But the key is, when we do, then no one
will know when we're coming, but everyone will know we're coming one day,"
Silva said.

The enforcement portion of the plan, Driscoll said, is an important
function to fight drug and alcohol use in school and sends a message to
young people that the consequences of their actions are real.

In the next step in the action plan's development, organizers will elicit
further input from parents. Driscoll said a questionnaire will be sent to
parents to find out "exactly what they want," and a fourth meeting
organized by PAC is scheduled for Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Cumberland High
School cafeteria.