Pubdate: Thu, 14 Sep 2006
Source: Appalachian News-Express (KY)
Copyright: 2006 Appalachian News-Express
Contact:  http://www.news-expressky.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1450
Author: Mary Music, Staff Writer, Appalachian News Express

SCHOOLS FORM DRUG TASK FORCE

The Pike County School district is working on ways to keep students 
from falling by the wayside.

Pike County Schools superintendent Roger Wagner has taken the 
district's theme, "Nothing But the Kids," to a higher level this 
month by implementing a drug task force.

The task force aims to curb drug, tobacco and alcohol abuse problems 
in schools by educating educators, its members and community leaders 
about how to spot a student or family that has a problem. Several 
central office staff members, community, religious and business 
partners, students, parents, teachers, counselors, members of the 
media, law enforcement officials, UNITE partners, and family resource 
and youth services members are partnering to make the program a success.

Some task force members and community leaders turned out this week 
for a two-day training seminar hosted by the school district and the 
Pike County Health Department.

Jim Crowley, the President of Community Intervention, Inc., hosted 
the Insight Training session about intervention, policies and 
procedures the district and law enforcement has to have in order to 
get students into the group and out of their drug or alcohol problem.

Crowley said intervention comes when the students are able to see 
their behavior and the excuses they use about why they are doing 
drugs, tobacco or alcohol. He outlined behaviors of students and 
adults who experiment, who use drugs or alcohol socially, or who are addicted.

The training, he said, acts as an assessment tool for drug or alcohol 
abuse problems by analyzing student behaviors, and the key component 
is the fact that so many different people and organizations are 
involved. The answer doesn't come from just one system, he said, it 
comes when different systems - schools, law enforcement agencies, 
churches, and families - network through talking, teaching, observing 
and supporting behavior changes.

Your new superintendent understands that the school has a role, but 
not the only role, and the community needs to hear that," Crowley said.

Behaviors can be changed, he said, explaining that drug and alcohol 
abuse revolves around feelings and the need people have to feel good or happy.

Students get disillusioned when they experiment he said, because, 
through drugs and alcohol they can entertain themselves or increase a 
pleasurable experience, and then, when the "high" wears away, they 
feel the same as they did before they "got blasted."

There is no alternative high that matches the one that using alcohol 
or drugs causes," he told the group. "No alternative high works every time."

A 2004 Kentucky Incentive Project Survey given to students throughout 
the district showed that students continue to experiment with 
tobacco, drugs and alcohol, even though they understand the dangers involved.

The Pike County Schools Drug Task Force will focus on raising 
awareness, preventing drug or alcohol abuse, intervening when there 
is a problem and helping troubled students find treatment when they 
need it, Marionette Little, the district's Safe and Drug Free Schools 
Coordinator.

This training comes at a good time," Little said. "Our superintendent 
has put together a drug task force to address the drug problems our 
children are facing. He realizes that these issues have been barriers 
to learning and he knows that the school system can't do it alone. It 
will take a networking of services."
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