VALPARAISO | Superintendent Mike Berta said Tuesday night’s School Board discussion will include a potential random drug testing program for Valparaiso High School in the 2013-14 school year.
Berta said the program is a proactive way to respond to student drug use discovered through the voluntary Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Survey.
He said school administrators of Valparaiso Community Schools have been studying surveys for about four months and have drafted a procedure for the School Board to consider.
This procedure, said Berta, “would take the students involved in extracurricular activities beginning with next school year and have them become part of a random drug test sampling pool.”
The ATODS is part of a statewide-initiative of the Indiana Prevention Resource Center and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Mental Health and Addiction.
Berta said the program is “minimally punitive but maximally proactive."
“The students identified as being involved in activity that indicates abuse of illegal substances, we would recommend they participate in an educational experience so they learn that this lifestyle has to end and there is a better lifestyle for them,” he said.
Berta said that he believes in his students and wants to play a role in helping to set them on the right path.
“I believe strongly that this is a very proactive and positive action to identify those kids that are abusing substances and to intervene with the program so it will help them. It’s a good thing for kids or I wouldn’t do it,” he said.
The board meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Valparaiso School Corp. Administration Building, 3801 Campbell St.
To view a sample survey, visit www.valpo.k12.in.us.
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