EDUCATORS, VOLUNTEERS STRIVE TO STOP DRUG USE

I have been amazed with the amount of coverage The Greenville News has
given the new dress code for our schools. I hope this newspaper will
eventually include coverage of a more important issue, drug and alcohol use
among school-aged children. The paper did not choose to cover the topic
when the results of the National Study of School Evaluation School Climate
Survey were released last November, nor when the results of the Substance
Abuse Task Force were released last April. Greenville County Schools,
District 1 PTA and various local agencies are working together to combat
these issues facing the students.

Greenville County Schools, under the guidance of Dr. Susan Achilles in the
department of Safe and Drug Free Schools, has identified a prevention
contact at each of the schools and has identified activities (Red Ribbon,
Greenlight Program, drug awareness programs) to coordinate and groups (peer
mediation, Students Against Violence Everywhere, Students Against Drunk
Driving, Natural Helpers) to sponsor at the schools. This contact will also
assist the principal in revising and submitting an updated Safe Schools
Plan and compliance with No Child Left Behind - Unsafe School Choice
options. This is quite an endeavor to undertake and I applaud their efforts.

District 1 PTA, in conjunction with Greenville Family Partnership and
sponsorship from the Rotary Club of Greenville, recently brought a
nationally known speaker, Milton Craggy, to speak on these issues to five
local high schools, the community and the leadership of PTA. The response
to his motivational talks was overwhelmingly positive. I hope we can bring
him back to speak to the remaining high schools.

Please report the whole picture of the efforts to have safe and drug free
schools in Greenville County.

Sue Erickson

Simpsonville