SCHOOL RESPONDS TO DRUG REPORTS

Parents Turn Out For Lockdown Day

Winthrop High School opened Friday with a schoolwide lockdown, in
which students were not allowed to leave classrooms while police dogs
searched for drugs. At the end of the day, students were met at the
exits by parents and town officials, who told them they would work to
rid the school and the community of drug and alcohol problems.

The students were given fliers with a simple message: "We are here
today to stand up for you and your right to a drug-free, alcohol-free
school."No illegal substances were found during random searches
Friday, police said.

The lockdown, a term used by school officials, and the adult presence
was in response to the news that four students of high school age had
been hospitalized in recent weeks because of drug overdoses, school
officials said.

On Oct. 3, two 16-year-old boys were found passed out in separate
classrooms at the high school and were taken to the hospital, Police
Chief Michael McManus said. The two teenagers overdosed on the
prescription drug Klonopin, which is used to treat seizures. A
17-year-old girl is believed to have supplied the pills, and charges
may be filed, McManus said.

Later in the evening on Oct. 3, a 14-year-old boy and 15-year-old boy
were hospitalized after taking the prescription drug Zoloft, an
antidepressant, at a party. A 14-year-old girl was hospitalized Oct. 4
after taking Zoloft, which police believe she got from the Oct. 3
party. McManus said charges are expected to be filed, but he declined
to release any names, pending the conclusion of an
investigation.

Members of the School Department, the Board of Selectmen, and the
group Communities Against Substance Abuse held an emergency meeting
last week to draft a plan to protect and support students. Friday's
informal gathering was held to remind students that they can get help
for drug or alcohol abuse, parents and school officials said.

The School Department, CASA, and other officials will sponsor a drug
awareness forum Oct. 30 at Winthrop Middle School.

Wearing buttons that read "I'm In," parents and town officials Friday
visited some classrooms to hand out buttons and fliers. At the end of
the school day, the group split up to cover all exits and get the
information to the rest of the students.

"The `I'm In' campaign was started by CASA and adopted by the School
Committee," said School Committee member Patricia Milano. "It means we
are in touch, involved, and in contact."

Milano stressed that the parents were not trying to intimidate or
accuse students, but rather inform them that parents are aware of the
drug use in town and they want to offer support. The fliers included
contact information for the Massachusetts substance abuse hot line,
the school nurse, and CASA.

"We've had just too many serious incidents," said Carol Pepi, CASA
coordinator, as she handed out fliers. "We're committed to making this
a drug-free community."

State Police and MBTA police brought drug-sniffing dogs onto the high
school grounds to do a random search of lockers, backpacks, and
students. The MBTA force became involved because it had search dogs
available, police said.

"We wanted to create awareness with students and the community to
acknowledge that this is a dangerous situation," said Thomas
Giancristiano, the superintendent of schools. "We're not going to
accept drugs in school."

"Our hope was that nothing would be found," Giancristiano said after
the search. "But we are aware that there's been a spike in drug use."
While no illegal substances turned up in Friday's lockdown, McManus
said, the purpose was to remind students that the town is concerned
and that the Police Department will take necessary steps to address
drug use.

He said that there were no incidents during the Columbus Day weekend.
"It was the quietest weekend we've had in a long time," McManus said.

Giancristiano said students were surprised by the lockdown.

Some students said the lockdown was a little frightening at first, but
once they knew what was going on, they felt relieved.

"There are so many people that do drugs," said 17-year-old senior
Samantha Murray, adding that had police searched every locker or book
bag they would have found drugs.

Murray and a group of students gathered outside the high school and
received fliers and buttons from parents. They agreed that the
parents' presence in school was important.

"If your parents didn't care, where would you be?" said 15-year-old
Danielle Mellen.

Mary Lou Osborne, a parent of a sophomore and a junior at the high
school, said, "I'm worried. If our kids aren't involved, then it's
stuff their friends are involved in."

Selectman Marty O'Brien said this is just one of the ways the
community is responding to increased drug use.

"Drugs are running rampant in the community," he said.