SCHOOLS GET PLAN FOR WAR ON DRUGS

For the past five years teachers and administrators have watched as the
number of Kamloops students suspended for using drugs in school has increased.

There is a plan in place now to address the trend.

This school year, 209 drug-related suspensions have been handed out, up 12
from a year ago.

The numbers will keep going up, says superintendent Terry Sullivan, unless
the community can come together and work toward a solution.

The 20-member superintendent's committee on child and adolescent drug use
has been meeting since February to come up with recommendations to curb the
rising rate of drug-related suspensions in schools.

Recommendations include:

School district partnering with RCMP to provide training for school
district staff and parents on Standard Field Sobriety Testing.

Developing a community drug and alcohol liaison position to work
specifically with students and staff to reduce student drug use.

Developing strategies for the search and detection of drugs including
the use of dogs and other methods.

Using senior students as paid hall monitors who have participated in a
training program provided by the RCMP and other agencies.

Pilot a test program with two schools from the North Shore, two from the
South Shore and any outlying schools that wish to participate.