Board OKs random drug testing (04/29/08)

Jay County High School students who drive to or from school or are involved in extracurricular activities will be subject to random drug testing under a policy adopted Monday by the Jay School Board on a 5-2 vote.

School board president Bryan Alexander, who was vocal in his opposition to the administration's proposal when it first surfaced earlier this year, was joined by board member Mike Masters in opposing the policy.

"I still believe it's a drastic measure," said Alexander, comparing random drug testing to a police state. "There has to be some level of trust."

Alexander, who has also questioned the need for portable breath tests at the high school prom, said he's not convinced drug use at the high school is on the rise.

"If you look at the data, the real problem we have is tobacco," said Alexander.

Board member Frank Vormohr, a physician, sharply disagreed.

"It's really sad that we're talking about random drug testing at the high school," said Vormohr. "But Bryan, you're wrong. ... It is going up."

JCHS teacher Tim Millspaugh, who helped develop the policy proposal, said it grew out of concerns expressed by students.

Millspaugh had encountered the idea of random drug testing in an in-service meeting and suggested it as a topic for students to write about in their journals as an assignment.

"The journals said, 'We've got a problem. We've got a problem,'" said Millspaugh. "Every school has a drug problem."

Assistant superintendent Wood Barwick told Alexander that if data indicate a drop in drug-related disciplinary issues at the high school in recent months, it's because of stepped up enforcement. "There's been a great effort by the principal, by the dean, and by the faculty to fight drugs at Jay County High School," Barwick said, indicating a random testing program would have a deterrent effect.

The testing will screen for barbiturates, amphetamines, anabolic steroids, cocaine, alcohol, benzodiazepines, marijuana, LSD, methadone, methaqualone, opiates, phencyclidine, propoxyphene, and other specific or prescription drugs.

"We do lots of random drug testing on lots of different groups," said Vormohr. "Labs are very accurate. ... No one should be afraid of (testing) if you're not using drugs."

"I can't be a part of it," said Alexander. "Where does it stop? That's my point."

In addition to approving the policy on random testing, the board accepted for review a search and seizure policy that would allow school officials to require a drug test or breath test for any student if there is "reasonable suspicion" the student is under the influence.

Alexander, though he signaled opposition to that policy as well, said he preferred the "reasonable suspicion" standard to random testing. He also voiced opposition to current policy which allows administrators to have the police use dogs to sniff for drugs in student locker areas and the parking lot.

"I'm just completely opposed to bringing dogs in," he said.

"The dog is just a tool," countered board member Jay Halstead, a former Indiana State Police trooper. "I think it's a good extra tool to have."

Typically, dog searches at the high school occur once a semester.

The issue is likely to resurface when the search and seizure policy revisions are brought back to the board for action in May.[[In-content Ad]]Site work has begun on the new multipurpose facility/auxiliary gym at Jay County High School, and the projected completion date is the end of October, though school officials admit that may be overly optimistic.

"Weather's going to determine that," Ron Krieg, director of buildings and grounds, told the Jay School Board Monday.

"We're going to have a busy summer," said superintendent Tim Long.

Projects on the agenda for the high school also include replacement of eight tennis courts, work on the gym floor, and installation of a new sign with LED message capability. At East Jay Middle School, gym floors will be refinished, while a 46,000 square foot section of the roof at West Jay Middle School will be replaced. The other major capital project is the replacement of heating, cooling, and ventilation units at Bloomfield Elementary School.

The board gave unanimous approval to advertise for an additional appropriation from the school corporation's Rainy Day Fund to pay for the Bloomfield work. A public hearing on the appropriation will be held at 6 p.m. on May 19 in conjunction with the board's May meeting.

Business manager Brad DeRome told the board he still expects a hearing on the school system's 2008 budget to be held in May or June. "I still have not heard a date yet," he said. "The earliest they're expecting us to receive funds is the tail end of July or the first of August."

Budget approval for all units of local government have been held up because of reassessment, and property tax distributions will also be delayed.

DeRome will return to the board in May with a recommendation on how much to borrow from the Indiana Bond Bank to cover expenses during the delay.

Board member Mike Shannon, who was among a contingent from Jay County to attend a robotics education event in Atlanta, told the board he's excited about the potential such a program could have locally.

Plans call for initiating a pilot robotics program at West Jay next year, replacing wood shop.

"I was totally fascinated," Shannon said. "Everything I saw down there was fantastic."

The board also learned that West Jay and East Jay had achieved national recognition for their comprehensive school counseling programs. Both schools received the RAMP (Recognized American School Counselor Association Model Program) designation.

The two schools were among 60 schools in 14 states to achieve that distinction.

Long informed board members that four Jay schools did not satisfy their average yearly progress as determined by the Indiana Department of Education. East Elementary School, Westlawn Elementary School, East Jay Middle School, and Bloomfield Elementary were listed as not reaching their average yearly progress.

In other business, the board:

•Approved the recommendation of the textbook committee, choosing Harcourt School's Story Town for reading and spelling, Great Source Education Group for English, and Scott Foresman for handwriting. Shannon dissented on the vote, later indicating he did not care for the handwriting textbook.

•Was told Long is investigating the needs for equipment upgrades in the kitchen and the television studio at JCHS.

•Received a copy of the facility operations and preventive maintenance manual from Krieg.

•Voted in support of non-renewal of a part-time special education teaching contract for Jamie Quire at West Jay and JCHS.

•Heard a report on a pilot program in archery at West Jay Middle School. Conservation officer Duane Ford, who led the program, said the West Jay team placed third in the state in its first year. There are plans to expand the program to all Jay schools. "We're picking up kids who aren't the football players or basketball players," said Ford. "Anyone can shoot a bow."

•Approved a grant application for a Project Lead the Way program in engineering.

•Set a summer band fee of $85.89 for band camp. Assistance will be available from the band boosters to help students with financial need cover the cost.

•Appointed Linda Frantz and Holly Weaver to the Jay County Public Library Board.

•Hired Sharon Dues to work in accounts payable at the administrative office, Denise Rogers as a secretary at Redkey Elementary School, Jodi Overmyer and Erica Nicole Powell as special needs bus aides, Anna E. Leis as an agriculture teacher at JCHS, and Lisa Wood as a half-time biomedical science teacher at JCHS.

•Accepted the retirements of Dennis Porter as a social studies teacher at West Jay, Jo Willer as special education director, and Karen Wehrly as a sixth grade English teacher at East Jay effective at the end of the school year.

•Accepted the resignation of Angela Gick as a math teacher at JCHS effective at the end of the school year.

•Approved leaves for Deanna Gillespie, Kelly Brandenburg, Russell Sloan, Amy Klopfenstein, and Katie Kerns.

•Approved Jessica Daniels as a volunteer dance instructor at JCHS.

•Approved field trips by archery students at West Jay, foreign language students at JCHS, and an FFA student at JCHS.

•Approved bus requests by the Jackson Township Amish School, the Girl Scouts, and Zion Early Learning Center.