SCHOOL DEBATES DRUG TESTING

Scioto Valley Local School District may not be the only school in the
county to require their athletes and extracurricular participants to
be randomly drug tested.

Rick Teeters, Director of Continuous Improvement for Waverly City
School District presented the "student extracurricular drug testing
draft policy" to the Waverly City School Board at the meeting on
Wednesday, July 18. The draft was created for the school board to
review. If the school board accepts the proposal, the policy will be
implemented in the upcoming school year and would force any student in
grades 7-12 involved in extracurricular activities to submit to random
drug testing.

Extracurricular activities include sports and clubs that consist of a
coach or advisor that requires a supplemental salary.

"I think (drug testing) would be a good idea because it would make
(Waverly) athletes and students that participate in extracurricular
activities less likely to do drugs," said Mason Good, Waverly High
School senior and student athlete.

"I think (random drug testing) is a very good idea," said Vallery
Francis, Waverly High School Senior and student athlete. "(Drug
testing) discourages drug use. If students have goals to be on the
football team, a cheerleader or on quiz bowl, they will have to make
good decisions and be responsible."

A committee consisting of Ed Dickens, Waverly High School principal,
Bo Arnett, Waverly City School athletic director, Kristy Boyer,
Waverly City School Board member, Shane Wells, Waverly City School
athletic trainer, Rusty Wright, Waverly Jr. High School social studies
teacher and varsity high school football coach, Chris Murphy, Waverly
Jr. High science teacher and varsity high school soccer coach,
Courtney Gillott, Waverly High School math teacher and varsity high
school volleyball coach, John Huffman, Waverly City School band
director, Mark Snodgrass, of Waverly City School Athletic Boosters,
Susan Roback, Brenda Walls, Waverly Jr. High physical education
teacher, Dr. Harry Kittacka, Waverly City School physician, Trever
Walls, Waverly High School class president and student athlete, Ricki
Teeters, Waverly City School People Assisting Waverly students (PAWS)
president and student athlete, and Rick Teeters was designed in March
to create and write the policy.