Drugs, Alcohol, Paraphernalia and Look-Alikes (Board Policy #227)

The Carlisle Area School District recognizes that substance abuse is one of society’s greatest problems.  Since the school is an integral part of society, substance abuse must be addressed with specific consequences.

The following definitions shall be understood:

Drug: any controlled substance included in Regulations of Controlled Substance as declared by law
Alcohol: any alcoholic or malt beverage or substance (The sale or distribution of alcohol to minors is prohibited by law.)
Paraphernalia: any pipe, rolling papers, bong, bowl, roach clip, syringe or other
instrument potentially used to smoke or otherwise consume
dangerous drugs
Look-Alikes: non-controlled substances which are look-alike drugs, over-the-
counter or prescription drugs which are abused or not handled by
students in accordance with the district’s policy on medication

The appropriate guidelines for the following situations are listed below:

1. Student is suspected to be under the influence and does not admit or indicate use.

a. The situation will be treated as a medical emergency. The student will not be left alone; the nurse and/or principal will be summoned immediately. If necessary, additional medical help will be secured. If the student must be taken to a medical facility, s/he will be accompanied by the principal or by the principal's designee.

b. The parents/guardians will be notified of the incident as a medical emergency. They will be summoned to the school, emergency room or other medical facility.

c. The principal will make all necessary investigations.  A search of the student's locker, person or possessions may be conducted.  Drugs, alcohol, paraphernalia or look-alikes will be seized.  Anything found will immediately be given to appropriate medical personnel to aid in identification and treatment.   

d. All concerned parties will maintain the confidentiality of the situation. The student's situation shall be referred to as "peculiar actions" or the like. Information shall be restricted to those with a need to know - medical personnel, principal, Superintendent, nurse and counselor. Initial communication to parents/guardians will consist of reporting a medical emergency and describing symptoms.

e. Upon completion of the principal's investigation, the principal may determine that the situation constitutes possession, sales or delivery, use or is a valid medical emergency not related to abuse. (See the district's policy on medical emergencies.)

f. If drugs, alcohol or look-alikes are seized or if subsequent investigation shows that criminal activity took place, the police will be notified.

g. If the investigation shows that the use of drugs, alcohol, or look-alikes is involved, the
students will be assigned a ten (10) day out-of-school suspension. A mandatory student-parent-principal conference will be conducted prior to the student's return to school.

h. If the investigation shows that the use of drugs, alcohol or look-alikes is involved, the principal will mandate assessment by a licensed drug and alcohol counselor.  Students and parents are strongly encouraged to comply with the recommendations of the drug and alcohol assessment.  Parents/guardians and student will be informed that, in the event that a second offense occurs while the student is enrolled in the district, it will result in recommendation for expulsion (see Notes 1 and 2).

2. Student is suspected to be under the influence and admits use.

  a. The situation will be treated as a medical emergency. The student will not be left alone; the nurse and/or principal will be summoned immediately. If necessary, additional medical help will be secured. If the student must be taken to a medical facility, s/he will be accompanied by the principal or by the principal's designee.

  b. The parents/guardians will be notified of the incident as a medical emergency. They will be summoned to the school, emergency room or other medical facility. 

  c. The principal will make all necessary investigations.  A search of the student's locker, person or possessions may be conducted.  Drugs, alcohol, paraphernalia or look-alikes will be seized.  Anything found will immediately be given to appropriate medical personnel to aid in identification and treatment.   

d.   All concerned parties will maintain the confidentiality of the situation. The student's situation shall be referred to as "peculiar actions" or the like. Information shall be restricted to those with a need to know - medical personnel, principal, Superintendent, nurse and counselor. Initial communication to parents/guardians will consist of reporting a medical emergency and describing symptoms to parents/guardians.

  e. Upon completion of the principal's investigation, the principal may determine that the situation constitutes possessions, sales or delivery.

  f. If the principal finds that only use, as opposed to sale (see section 6) of drugs, alcohol or look-alikes is involved, the student will be assigned a ten (10) day out-of-school suspension. A mandatory student-parent-principal conference will be conducted prior to the student's return to school.

  g. The principal will mandate assessment by a licensed drug and alcohol counselor. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to comply with the recommendations of the drug and alcohol assessment.  Parents/guardians and student will be informed that, in the event that a second offense occurs while the student is enrolled in the district, it will result in recommendation for expulsion (see Notes 1 and 2).

  h. If use of alcohol or drugs took place, the police will be notified.

  i. The principal will notify the Superintendent of the situation (verbally and in writing).

3. Student comes forward and admits that s/he is currently under the influence and seeks assistance.

  a. The situation will be treated as a medical emergency. The student will not be left alone, and the nurse and/or principal will be summoned immediately. If necessary, additional medical help will be secured. If the student must be taken to a medical facility, s/he will be accompanied by the principal or by the principal's designee.

  b. The parents/guardians will be notified of the incident as a medical emergency. They will be summoned to the school, emergency room or other medical facility.

 c. The principal will make all necessary investigations.  A search of the student's locker, person or possessions may be conducted.  Drugs, alcohol, paraphernalia or look-alikes will be seized. Anything found will immediately be given to appropriate medical personnel to aid in identification and treatment.   

  d. All concerned parties will maintain the confidentiality of the situation. The student's situation shall be referred to as "peculiar actions" or the like. Information shall be 
restricted to those with a need to know - medical personnel, principal, Superintendent, 
nurse and counselor. Initial communication to parents/guardians will consist of reporting a medical emergency and describing symptoms to parents/guardians.

  e. Upon completion of his/her investigation, the principal will determine if the situation should continue to be handled as a medical emergency in that the student's motive for admission was to seek treatment rather than avoid punishment. If the motive was to seek help, this situation will be handled as section 4 after the immediate medical concerns pass. If the principal determines that the chief motive was to avoid punishment, the situation will be handled as section 2.

4. Student comes to a staff member, admits use and seeks assistance. The student is not currently under the influence.

  a. The student will not be disciplined for seeking help for substance abuse.

  b.  The student will not be reported to law enforcement authorities for seeking help for
substance abuse.

  c. The student will be advised of the availability of professional help.

 d. The student will be advised to discuss his/her situation with his/her counselor or the school nurse.  Students will be provided with a timeline to seek assistance and comply with appropriate recommendations. 

  e. Staff members may consult with the school nurse or counselor concerning the situation, preferably with the student's consent.

  f. Staff members must guard the confidentiality of the student while working to assist the student.

  g. If after a reasonable amount of time, the student's need for assistance still exists and the staff member deems that the situation is not progressing satisfactorily, the staff member should give the student a deadline for initiating action to deal appropriately with the situation.

  h. If the student fails to meet the cited deadline, the staff member should notify the student's parents/guardians of the situation. The staff member should also notify the student's counselor.

  i. Law enforcement involvement will ordinarily not be warranted under these circumstances.

5. Student possesses marijuana, hashish, other controlled substances, alcohol or look-alikes. If under the influence or suspected of being under the influence, see 1-4. If the student is not currently under the influence, the following guidelines apply:

  a. Staff members will seize all suspected contraband and escort student to the office of the principal. The staff member will report his/her knowledge of the circumstances verbally to the principal. Later the staff member will file a written report to the principal.

  b. The principal will conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the situation. If the principal deems necessary, a search of the student's locker, person and possessions may be conducted. Drugs, alcohol, paraphernalia and look-alikes will be seized. The principal will discuss the circumstances with the student involved.

  c. Confidentiality is the responsibility of all staff members.

  d. The parents/guardians will be notified and summoned to the building.

  e. The law enforcement officials will be notified and charges will be pressed. All evidence will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities.

  f. The student will be assigned a ten (10) day out-of-school suspension. An informal hearing will be offered the student and his/her parents/guardians. After the informal hearing the principal may recommend that the student be expelled. If the principal recommends an expulsion, a formal hearing will be scheduled.

  g. If the student is not expelled, the principal will mandate assessment/counseling by a licensed drug and alcohol counselor. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to comply with the recommendations of the drug and alcohol assessment.  Parents/guardians and student will be informed that, in the event that a second offense occurs while the student is enrolled in the district, it will result in recommendation for expulsion (see Notes 1 and 2).

  h. The principal will notify the Superintendent or designee of the situation (verbally and in writing).

6. Student sells, manufactures or delivers drugs, alcohol, paraphernalia or look-alikes.

  a. Staff members will seize all suspected contraband and escort the student to the office of the principal. The staff member will report his/her knowledge of the circumstances verbally to the principal. Later the staff member will file a written report with the principal.

  b. The principal will make all necessary investigations.  A search of the student's locker, person or possessions may be conducted. Drugs, alcohol, paraphernalia or look-alikes will be seized.

  c. Confidentiality is the responsibility of all staff members.

  d. Parents/Guardians will be notified and summoned to the building.

  e. The law enforcement officials will be notified and charges will be pressed. All evidence will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities.

  f. The student will be assigned a ten (10) day out-of-school suspension. An informal hearing will be offered to the student and his/her parents/guardians. After the informal hearing the principal may recommend that the student be expelled. If the principal recommends expulsion, a formal hearing will be scheduled.

  g. If the student is not expelled, the principal will mandate assessment/counseling by a licensed drug and alcohol counselor. Students and parents are strongly encouraged to comply with the recommendations of the drug and alcohol assessment.  Parents/guardians and students will be informed that in the event that a second offense occurs while the student is enrolled in the district, it will result in recommendation for expulsion (see Notes 1 and 2).

  h. The principal will notify the Superintendent or designee of the situation (verbally and in writing).

7. Student repeats use or possession during their enrollment in the Carlisle Area School District.

  a. All school staff members will respond as if the situation was the individual's initial infraction in accordance with the situations listed above until school punishment is to be issued.

  b. The student will be assigned a ten (10) day out-of-school suspension. An informal hearing will be offered to the student and his/her parents/guardians.

  c. After the informal hearing the principal shall recommend that the student be expelled.  

  d. Students who are expelled for drug and alcohol policy violations will be required to complete a drug and alcohol assessment by a licensed provider and comply with the recommendations of the assessment and other conditions outlined in the adjudication at the expense of the parent/guardian.  

  e. The principal will notify the Superintendent or designee of the situation (verbally and in writing).

8. A student (or other person) advises a staff member of another student’s use, possession or sales.

The staff member should attempt to determine the reporting person’s motive. If s/he seeks to have the student reported to the authorities, the staff member should assure the person that his/her confidentiality will be maintained to the extent legally possible subject to requirements of law enforcement authorities, and ask him/her to report the matter to the principal. If the staff member believes the case merits immediate action, s/he should report the situation to the principal after assuring the reporting person that his/her confidentiality will be maintained. This step should be undertaken only if the staff member determines that the health, safety or welfare of the student or others is in immediate jeopardy.

If the reporting student's motive is to seek help for a friend and the friend's immediate health, safety and welfare are not at risk, the staff member should encourage the student to relay information about help and the student's right to confidentiality.

a. Confidentiality is the responsibility of the staff member who was contacted. The staff member should not extend knowledge of the situation to anyone other than the school nurse or the counselor.

b. The individual who reported the situation should be encouraged to have the friend personally contact a staff member who can help. Establishing deadlines may be considered.

c. The person who reported the situation should be encouraged to see the counselor or nurse for additional information.

9. Nonstudents are suspected of using, selling, dispensing drugs, alcohol or look-alikes on school property.

a. Staff members and others should report the situation to the principal.

b. The principal will conduct an investigation within the parameters of his/her educational duties.

c. If the situation appears to be criminal activity, the principal will contact the law enforcement authorities and provide them with the information s/he has gathered. The principal will issue a trespass notice to all such individuals.

d. If the situation is suspect but cannot be shown to be unlawful, the principal will issue a trespass notice to the suspect individuals.

e. The principal will ensure that charges are brought against all known trespassers.

f. Confidentiality required by civil law will be maintained.

g. The principal will notify the Superintendent or designee of the situation (verbally and in writing).

Notes:
1. Students who are expelled for drug and alcohol policy violations will be required to complete a drug and alcohol assessment by a licensed provider and comply with the recommendations of the assessment and other conditions outlined in the adjudication at the expense of the parent/guardian. 

2.  The Code of Conduct for extra-curricular activities specifies the penalties for students who participate in extra-curricular activities.