VOLUNTARY STUDENT RANDOM DRUG TESTING POLICY

August 22, 2008

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students.

As educators concerned about the overall safety and welfare of our students we have been discussing internally the advantages and disadvantages of implementing an expanded drug testing program for our students. After considerable deliberation, which was punctuated by a revision to state regulation requirements in the fall of 2007, the Kinnelon Board of Education has created a Voluntary Student Random Testing Policy 5530.1 (click link for draft of policy). As part of new state regulations an announcement of a formal public hearing must take place prior to adoption of this type of policy.

The public hearing for this policy is scheduled for Thursday, September 18th, in the Kinnelon High School auditorium. A draft copy of this policy will be available for review on our website at www.kinnelonpublicschools.org, the Kinnelon Public Library, Kinnelon Municipal Building and the Kinnelon Board Education Office.

The proposed policy has been developed with input from our entire school community. Here are some of the main points:

• In order to participate in athletics, co-curricular activities (i.e. clubs) or qualify for a parking permit, high school students must submit Consent to Test form which will then place them in the voluntary random testing pool.
• Throughout the school year students in the voluntary random testing pool could be called to the nurse’s office where a urine sample is collected and sent to a lab to be tested for controlled substances and alcohol. No testing will be done at our site. 10% (estimated at 60 students) of those in the pool will be tested the first year and 20% (estimated at 120 students) for the years afterward.
• The presence of alcohol will be through a more thorough EtG (ethyl glucuronide) which detects alcohol metabolites up to 80 hrs after ingestion. The lab will be using an upgraded standard to eliminate false positives.
• If the test is positive the parent’s of the student will be contacted to ascertain if there are any extenuating circumstances (such as prescriptions).
• If it is determined that there has been an inappropriate use the student will be required to obtain medical clearance and a substance abuse assessment to return to school.
• Students who have a first time confirmed positive under the policy will not be suspended from school or removed from an athletic or co-curricular activity. However those with a parking permit and a first time confirmed positive will have their parking permit revoked for 30 days. Students with a first time confirmed positive will be included in the
  “suspicion testing pool” and subject to additional random testing. Subsequent positive tests will result in the implementation of the Substance Abuse Procedure as outlined in the Student Handbook (also on our website).
• This policy must be assessed by the Board of Education prior to June 30 of 2009 and readopted for subsequent years.

Please review the proposed policy on our web site. If you have questions please attend the public hearing on September 18th or email us at randomtesting@kinnelon.org.

Sincerely,

James J. Opiekun
Superintendent of Schools