Pubdate: Tue, 09 Jan 2007
Source: Recorder, The (NY)
Copyright: 2007 The Recorder
Contact:  http://www.recordernews.com/coverpage/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2116
Author: Linda Kellett, Recorder News Staff

FP SCHOOL BOARD MULLS DRUG TESTING PROPOSAL

FORT PLAIN -- Members of the Fort Plain School Board  last week 
engaged in a discussion about voluntary  student drug testing. 
Additionally, they received input  from a group of concerned 
individuals who are rallying  support for legislation requiring all 
schools in the  state to have mandated student drug testing.

The meeting took place Wednesday night in the Harry  Hoag School 
conference room.

District Superintendent Douglas Burton late last week  said about 
that exchange, "At this point, the board had  more follow-up 
discussion from [Amsterdam Pediatrician  Dr. Govind Rao] and [the 
Rev. Nancy Ryan, pastor of the  Fort Plain Reformed Church]. They 
asked that I do some  research and investigate to get more 
information about  the need and various means by which different 
districts  are addressing the issue; then we'll go from there."

He continued, "It could be a long process. We're not  anywhere near 
establishing a policy."

In mid-December, Burton said the board was asked to  support an 
effort to have some type of law or  regulation passed by the state 
Legislature that would  require all schools in the state to have 
mandatory drug  testing for middle and high school students.

It was a presentation to which members of the Greater  Amsterdam 
School District Board of Education also were  called to respond.

As noted in the Oct. 25 Recorder, the mandatory program  proposed by 
Rao and other community members --  including Ryan, former Montgomery 
County Social  Services Commissioner Robert Reidy, the Rev. Brian 
List, local attorney Alex Isabel, Amsterdam Alderman  Jim Nicosia, 
Tina Bielawa and retired Judge James White  -- would see only the 
parents of a child notified if he  or she tested positive for drugs. 
The community members  focused on the idea that drug addition is a 
health  concern and not a criminal matter, thus law 
enforcement  would not be notified of positive test results -- 
and  positive results would not be used for any punitive  measures, 
such as suspension from school.

In the late 1990s, with the assistance of Rao and  others, the 
Greater Amsterdam School District began a  voluntary drug testing 
program at the Wilbur H. Lynch  Middle School. While the program 
stopped for a while,  it was brought back last year so students and 
parents  are able to volunteer for random drug testing. Both 
the  students and the parents are required to volunteer.

In November, GASD school board members threw their full  support 
behind the legislation proposed by the group.

Also during the Jan. 3 meeting, Burton said Lance  Elliott, district 
science coordinator, gave a  presentation that was "done through new 
software and  technology that's being used in classes."

He noted that instructional materials can appear on  DVD's so those 
using the technology can go through  lessons. He said, "It allows for 
self-prescribed  lessons and is being used for in-service [training] 
for  teachers -- for example, to learn more about Excel  software -- 
and it can be used for students with home  instructors. That's in 
case a student broke both legs  and was incapacitated, for example. 
They are prepared  instructional materials."

Burton said, "A lot of that went on with VCR tapes.  This is new 
technology that makes it easier."

Finally head bus driver Gordon Eggleston presented a  transportation 
report in which he said he has seen  significant reductions in 
overall transportation costs,  Burton said. Parts costs, in 
particular, are down.

"It's all directly related to our five-year purchase  policy," Burton said.

As noted in a March 2005 article in The Recorder, that  policy 
concerns a five-year replacement schedule for  all district vehicles.

Some time in the past, the board determined a five-year  turnaround 
for aging vehicles was the most  cost-effective means by which to 
maintain a safe  vehicle fleet, reduce repair costs, maximize vehicle 
trade-in values and, ultimately, reduce vehicle  expenses.

Burton on Friday said that if district voters in May  approve the 
release of funds, "the next [bus] purchases  we make will take us 
into our first year of guaranteed  buyback by the company. That would 
complete the first  of our five-year rotational purchase cycle."

He continued, "We'll just now be realizing the benefits  of that 
program. It takes a few years to reach the  rotation. We're just 
doing that. In the meantime, any  buses we feel we don't need, we put 
them out to bid;  but typically only the best bring back $6,000 
or  $7,000. With the trade-back, when we get into this  program, 
we'll be looking at three or four times that  [amount], which will 
allow us to reduce our  expenditures overall."

Burton said in the first year of the program, the  district purchased 
one large and one small bus;  consequently, that's what can be traded 
back. "A year  from now, we'll have three buses; a year after that, 
three more," he said.

While the buyback offer is available to the district,  Burton said 
board President David Fredericks would also  like to see the district 
advertise for bids on the  buses. "But if they don't meet the value 
of the  buyback, we'll go with the buyback agreement," Burton  said.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine