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Highline Public Schools
15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW Burien, WA 98166

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Highline Public Schools
15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW Burien, WA 98166

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Procedure 2121 - SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM

I. Prevention
The purpose of the drug and alcohol prevention program of Highline School District No.

401 is to provide students with information and activities which will help them decide against using alcohol and other drugs. The district's prevention program shall focus on classroom instruction, counseling, school climate, and parent education. Involvement of parents and other community members is essential for the success of district prevention activities.

A. Instructional Program

  1. All schools, elementary and secondary, (K-12) will have instructional programs which assist students in making responsible decisions about the use of alcohol and other drugs. Current and accurate information about alcohol and other drugs and their effects upon the body is one component of an instructional prevention program. Other components include skill development related to self-esteem, goal setting, decision making, understanding feelings, conflict management and problem solving, refusal skills, and the development of communication skills. The district's goal is to implement a program that includes age-appropriate, developmentally based drug and alcohol education and prevention programs.
     
  2. Health education programs will provide instruction about the use of alcohol and other drugs and will reinforce the prevention concepts. Instruction will be provided about student responsibilities and rights as they relate to use of alcohol and other drugs in the school and community.
     
  3. Staff will be provided training in new curricula used to teach prevention strategies. Instructional materials will be available for each school to implement the program.

B. Counseling Program

  1. Counseling personnel will assist teachers with the implementation of classroom prevention activities focused on alcohol and other drug issues.
  2. Counselors and trained staff will work with students individually and in small groups, to supplement prevention instruction. Counselors will also work with staff and parents to maximize the prevention efforts of the school.

C. School Climate

  1. School climate is an important element in the prevention of alcohol and other drug use. The effects of alcohol and other drug use may manifest themselves in poor school achievement; truancy, dropping out; poor relationships with family, peers and school personnel; delinquency; and other behavioral problems.
  2. All building staff will receive training in how to recognize symptoms of alcohol and other drug use. Building level prevention activities will be initiated under the leadership of the building administrator and supported by staff, students, and parents. Community organizations will be encouraged to support school prevention activities.
  3. The district will encourage programs which foster student advocacy of alcohol and other drug use prevention in secondary schools. These programs may include, but not be limited to, the formation of Natural Helpers groups; participation in Washington Teen Institutes; development of Students Against Doing Drugs (SADD) groups; development of a building-wide focus day; and development of student support groups. Student support groups will assist students concerned about their own use of alcohol and other drugs, students who live in families affected by alcohol or other drugs, and students concerned about the use of alcohol or other drugs by others in their lives.

D. Parent Education

Parents will be encouraged to participate in alcohol and other drug use prevention programs conducted by the school district and/or community organizations.

II. Intervention

A. Elementary schools and secondary schools will establish and maintain an intervention program known as the Student Assistance Program (SAP). The goal of the program shall be to eliminate alcohol and other drug use by students. The goal of the elementary Student Assistant Program is to provide positive, early intervention with students at risk due to their own alcohol and/or other drug abuse or the chemical dependency of close friends and/or family. The goal of secondary SAP's is to provide a resource for intervention and assessment and act as a support for students who are at risk for alcohol and other drug problems. In addition, information and, if possible, assistance will be provided to family members, friends and others associated with the student.

Student Assistance Program activities will include the following:

  1. Support groups
  2. Staffings
  3. Assessments and follow up
  4. Faculty inservice
  5. Classroom guidance
  6. Parent/community education

B. Student Assistance Program - Personnel Responsibilities

  1. Building administrators have the primary responsibility for implementation of the intervention program in each school.
  2. The SAP coordinator in each secondary school will be determined by the building principal after consultation with involved building staff. The SAP coordinator will be a member of the District Intervention Support Committee (DISC) and can be either a certificated or classified person. All certificated and classified staff shall be trained to recognize early symptoms of alcohol and other drug abuse and understand their responsibilities in assisting with the processes of the Student Assistance Program.
  3. Elementary school counselors will be the SAP coordinator in elementary schools unless determined otherwise by the principal after consultation with involved staff. There will be regular representation from the elementary SAP coordinators to the DISC Committee. These elementary representatives will keep the other elementary SAP coordinators informed of district alcohol and other drug programs and activities. All staff shall be trained to recognize student behavior that may indicate family dysfunction related to alcohol and other drug abuse issues. Staff shall also understand their responsibilities in assisting with the processes of the Student Assistance Program.
  4. Student Assistance Teams (SAT) will consist of a group of staff members who make a commitment to implement the Student Assistance Program. The SAT in each building will be responsible for planning, implementing and evaluating the program. The annual evaluation of the district SAP will be the responsibility of the Coordinator of Health Education. The SAT will be responsible for facilitating the education/awareness/intervention components of the program as well as working directly with administrators, staff, students, parents, and community resource persons. Team members will receive specialized training in alcohol and other drug use/abuse prevention and intervention techniques.

    The Student Assistance Team will meet regularly to review referrals, confer with students and, if warranted, counselors, administrators and/or parents. They will collect data, make recommendations for services, and maintain a confidential system of record keeping. Provisions will also be made for yearend evaluation of the various components of the building Student Assistance Program by the team under the direction of the Coordinator of Health Education. The Student Assistance Team will assist in the distribution, collection, and interpretation of student drug/alcohol surveys in their building.
     
  5. Ongoing inservice will be provided for staff. Important aspects of inservice training will include prevention issues and strategies; effects of family alcohol or other drug abuse on children; recognition of student behaviors that may reflect alcohol or drug abuse issues; progression issues of chemical dependency; intervention techniques; the denial process; enabling and codependent behavior; parent involvement and community resources; treatment and aftercare support; and implementation of the program into the classroom/building.

C. Parental Involvement: A parent/guardian will be contacted by a member of the Student Assistance Team if his/her child is recommended for an assessment. The parent/guardian must give his/her permission in writing in order for the assessment to take place. Following this assessment, a student assistance chemical dependency counselor will conduct a family conference to present the results of the assessment. At that time, a written report will be provided to the parent/guardian and the school district.

D. Contracted Services: Pursuant to district policy, contracted chemical dependency counselors will work under the direction of the building SAP coordinator. The Coordinator of Health Education will be responsible for these contracted chemical dependency counselors and their services for issues that pertain to the entire school district. Such contracted services will require school board approval. Requests for proposals will be solicited by the Coordinator of Health Education on a need basis.

III. AFTERCARE/RELAPSE PREVENTION
It is important that students returning to school from a community inpatient or outpatient treatment program be given aftercare support. Primary aftercare responsibility for students returning from a community treatment program rests with the student, parent and community treatment program personnel. School staff, the student, parent(s) and community treatment personnel will work cooperatively to facilitate the aftercare plan.

IV. DISCIPLINE FOR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE OFFENSES
See Procedures 3240P, Appendix A1 (Discipline for Alcoholic Beverages, Illegal Substances or Drugs Offenses).

Legal References:
Substance Abuse Awareness program—Intent - RCW 28A.170.075
Prohibition on use of tobacco products on school property - 28A.210.310
Safe and Drug-free Schools and Communities Act - 20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.

Highline School District 401
Adopted by the Superintendent: October 1988
Revised by the Superintendent: 10.89, 1.92