GRADE 5 DARE PONDERED

While most students in Summerland will advance a grade when they go back to
school in September, Dare program organizers hope to step down a grade.

For the past three years, Summerland has had the program in Grade 6, but
organizers would like to see it in Grade 5 instead.

Sgt. Orv Robson of the Summerland RCMP says the program would be a better
fit for the younger students, since the material was designed for Grade 5
students.

"It's a little too basic for the Grade 6 level," he says.

He adds that bringing the program to the Grade 5 level would also help
improve drug awareness in the elementary schools.

Police say elementary students are being exposed to drugs, sometimes from
parents and older siblings.

"Drugs are here. The children are going to come in contact with them,"
Robson says.

While school board chair Connie Denesiuk believes drug awareness education
is important at the Grade 5 level, she wants to make sure the schools are
using the best program available.

"Substance abuse education needs to occur at the Grade 5 level," she says,
"but we need to determine what's the best model for our students."

She adds that Cst. Shawn Knowles, the Dare officer, has done an outstanding
job with the Grade 6 students.

Last year, the school board met with elementary school principals to discuss
bringing the program to Grade 5 students.

Denesiuk said the principals did not believe Grade 5 was the appropriate
time for the program.

"It's quite an in-depth 17-week program," she says.

The school board is continuing to consider which model is best for Grade 5
students.