Pubdate: Thu, 07 Aug 2008
Source: Alton Telegraph, The (IL)
Copyright: 2008 The Telegraph
Contact:  http://www.thetelegraph.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1207
Author: Cynthia M. Ellis
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

DRUG TESTING STARTS THIS YEAR AT EA-WRHS

Mandatory For Athletes, Interscholastic Activities And 
Cubs

WOOD RIVER - The first day of classes is less than two  weeks away,
and drug testing will be mandatory for some  East Alton-Wood River
High School students.

Any student who plans to compete in sports or take part  in
interscholastic activities and clubs must attend a  mandatory drug
orientation with their parents at 6 p.m.  Wednesday in the school's
auditorium.

Superintendent John Pearson wants to remind the public  that students
and parents must attend the orientation  session on the drug testing
policy, or they will not be  allowed to participate in activities when
school  starts.

"It's important that they be there," Pearson said. "A  representative
from the drug testing company will be  there to explain what happens
and answer any questions,  plus students and their parents/guardian
will be  required to sign a consent form."

Although the policy is not new - the EA-WRHS Board  passed it in 2001
- - this is the first year the district  has had the funding to
implement it. It will cost the  district approximately $9,000 for the
testing, which  affects about one in four students.

Pearson said that the board previously didn't want to  spend the money
to enforce the policy, because it would  have been about $18,000, and
the district's financial  situation was bleak.

"The budget actually looks pretty good right now," he 
said.

He said the district was able to scale back some of its  costs and get
better pricing on the testing.

School officials said that they don't see a problem  with the program,
noting the success of drug testing at  Marquette Catholic High School
in Alton, where the  overwhelming percentage of students passed the
test.

School Board President Lonnie McCoy said in a previous  interview that
there always has been a concern about  drugs in school, and Marquette
set a good example by  testing all their students.

"We're a public school, and we can't test every  student, but we can
test people involved in  extracurricular activities," he said.

Pearson said letters and telephone messages were sent  to parents,
along with a bulletin being posted on the  school's Web site.

"Any of the students involved in activities should know  about this,"
he said.

Parents and students who are unable to attend the  meeting should
contact the school at (618) 254-3151.

Pearson said that another meeting will be scheduled in  case there are
parents/guardians who are unable to  attend Wednesday evening's
session because of  scheduling conflicts, or for new students coming
into  the district.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin