Pubdate: Fri, 16 Jan 2004
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: John McDonald

TRUSTEE WANTS GAP CLOSED

Central Okanagan school trustee Gail Scanlan wants the school district to 
look beyond its borders at what other districts are doing in the area of 
drug prevention and awareness.

"I would like to see us look at what other districts are doing, their 
effectiveness and what the costs are," said Scanlan.

At Wednesday's school board meeting, trustees received a report outlining 
what resources are put toward drug awareness and prevention for the 23,000 
students in the Central Okanagan.

Scanlan made the request for the report after attending the Mayor's Forum 
on Community Safety and Harm Reduction, where the subject of increasing 
drug use in local schools was brought up during discussion.

While generally satisfied with what was presented, Scanlan said some areas 
are of concern.

"I see gaps with younger kids and in the senior secondary schools," she said.

The Kelowna trustee said rolling out a drug prevention program 
district-wide could be done by giving the responsibility of ensuring it's 
delivered by school planning councils.

"A lot of them have social responsibility as a component," she said. "This 
could fit in well.

The report has been given to the school board's coordinating committee to 
return as an action item at a future meeting.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart