DRUG POLICY CHANGED FOR FIRST OFFENDERS

Students caught, for the first time, taking drugs, alcohol or controlled
substances will not be kicked out of athletics and extracurricular
activities under a revised policy adopted by the Polk County Board of
Education Monday. Instead, students will now continue to practice with
their team, but will not be eligible to dress out or participate in 25
percent of the season's contests, including playoff games. "The specific
dates and times shall be determined by the principal after consultation
with the superintendent or designee," the new rules read.

Those students also must enroll in and complete a substance abuse
counseling program and agree to submit to urinalysis testing at any time
during the athletic season.

Before the change, the policy required students making their first offense
to be ineligible for athletics and/or extracurricular activities for the
rest of the athletic season, or 60 days, whichever ended last.

School board chairman Geoff Tennant said he preferred the changed policy
because students are not simply sent away after their first violation.

"Under this policy, you do not shove that kid away," Tennant said. "We used
to say, 'You have made a mistake. Good-bye.' Now we say, 'You have made a
mistake, but we want to work with you.'"

Polk County High School principal Bill Miller said he does not want to
leave anyone with the impression that the schools are lightening up on
substance abuse. "This is a hard thing," Miller said. "We are not trying to
ease up. We just think this is a better way. We are trying to figure out
the best way to guide them and give them a chance to make a good decision.

"(Violators) will have to look their teammates in the face and say the
reason I'm not here helping you is this..."

School board member Rick Covil, who is a strong advocate for the county
athletics programs and has advocated mandatory drug testing for all
athletes, made the motion to approve the change.

In other business, the school board:

Named 31 administrators, teachers, parents and school board members, to
become a middle school task force. The group will seek advice from the
community and faculty, visit "highly successful middle schools," and read
current research and then make recommendations regarding the best
curriculum and instructional programs for a consolidated Polk County Middle
School.

Heard that the Polk County High School construction project is proceeding.
Walls are up on the new field house, and a foundation for the new fine arts
wing is expected to be poured this week. "We feel very good about the level
of quality control," Supt. Susan McHugh said.

Heard high school principal Miller explain that the grading contractor, for
free, was using dirt from the new construction sites to help level a new
field along the high school driveway. Miller said it is only 50-by-60
yards, but it will offer another practice field. The band now waits until
6:30 p.m. to get onto the practice fields during the fall and women's
soccer has to practice off campus in the spring.

Heard reports on the start of the new school year from Cathy Childress,
principal of Polk Central, Hank Utz, principal of Tryon Middle, and from
Supt. McHugh. All three said the first day was as positive and smooth a
first day as they could remember and McHugh saluted the expertise and
experience of the staff.

Heard McHugh report that student transfer requests were becoming a greater
problem as the county's school facilities fill up. The school
administration has been committed to allowing parents to choose between
schools, regardless of where they live. But due to space and state-mandated
class sizes, those requests are more often having to be denied, McHugh
said. She said the staff is reevaluating how best to handle student
transfer requests.

Heard a request from John Vining that the board consider establishing a
dress code requiring students in middle school to wear uniforms.

Heard one parent express concern about the safety of the bus stop at Hwy.
108 and Hwy. 9. Chairman Tennant said the administration would review the
safety of the bus stop there.