DISTRICT APPROVES DRUG TESTING

PRINCEVILLE -- Edgecombe County Public Schools now has a drug testing policy
for its student athletes.

The Board of Education unanimously approved the measure during its regular
meeting Monday. The new policy will take effect Jan. 1.

The policy, which applies to middle and high school athletes and
cheerleaders, had undergone revisions due to input received during board
advisory sessions Sept. 22 and 23. Among the changes were the punishments
for positive test results, which now eliminate a violator's participation in
overlapping sports.

Previous versions of the policy had first-time violators suspended from
athletic competition for the remainder of the current sports season (fall,
winter or spring). They now will not be allowed to participate in all
interscholastic athletics for the remainder of the current season.

Second-time violators previously were suspended from athletic competition
for 12 months. Along with the 12-month suspension from athletics, they now
cannot participate in all interscholastic athletics for the remainder of the
current season.

Third-time violators previously were suspended from athletic competition for
the remainder of the current season and barred from interscholastic
athletics for the remainder of his or her time in middle school (for middle
school athletes) or high school (for high school athletes) in Edgecombe
County Public Schools. They now cannot participate in all interscholastic
athletics for the remainder of the current season, and would receive a
24-month suspension from athletic competition.

As in previous versions of the policy, at least 10 percent of student
athletes will be selected for each random testing event. The new policy
calls for random selection based on a numbered roster system. The county
schools' Human Resource Services department will administer the selection
process.

Also Monday, the board received information on two grants that recently have
been awarded to the county schools by the U.S. Department of Education. The
Early Reading First Grant was awarded collectively to the public school
systems of Edgecombe, Duplin, Washington, Bladen and Nash-Rocky Mount.
Edgecombe will receive $846,063 of the $4.23 million award over three years.

The funds will be used to better prepare pre-K students for kindergarten,
said Steve Stone, superintendent of Edgecombe County Public Schools. The
grant will support existing efforts to enhance the early language and
pre-reading skills of pre-K students. The Edgecombe school system is in the
process of determining how it will use the funds, said Debbie Pace, director
of pre-school programs for the county schools.

The Edgecombe Middle College, an alternative high school program created
through a partnership with Edgecombe Community College, received a
five-year, $675,000 grant, which will be used for personnel.

The Middle College currently has 40 students and eight staff members, and
Assistant Principal Marshall Matson expects to add 20 students in the
spring. Stone said the goal is to increase enrollment to more than 100,
which would make it eligible for school status under state law.

The board unanimously approved individual school budgets for 2003-2004. The
budgets, which tie in funds with School Improvement Plans, are in the
following amounts:

Bulluck Elementary School: $77,410

Carver Elementary School: $131,801

Center for Educational Achievement: $9,279

Coker-Wimberly Magnet School: $94,610.

Martin Middle School: $99,720

North Edgecombe High School: $109,979

Pattillo A+ School: $176,767

Phillips Magnet School: $148,075

Princeville Montessori School: $77,325

Roberson Elementary School: $50,560

South Edgecombe Middle School: $138,431

SouthWest Edgecombe High School: $393,545

Stocks Elementary School: $167,832

Tarboro High School: $387,278

West Edgecombe Middle School: $187,364.