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Highlands Today

Schools Show Positive Drug Testing Results

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By MARC VALERO | Highlands Today

Published: December 28, 2007

SEBRING — Random drug testing started this year in the county's middle schools with only one student testing positive during the first semester.

A reported 260 students were tested at the School Board of Highlands County's four middle schools with negative results (no drugs in their system) for 259 students and one student testing positive.

"So that's pretty good," said Student Services Coordinator Patty Jackson.

The students who are tested are picked randomly just as in the high school.

Drug testing started at the high school level near the beginning of the 2006-07 school year with school officials confident that it would give students a reason to say "no" when offered drugs.

At the high school level thus far this school year, of the 124 students who were tested, two had "positive" results indicating drug use.

Urine samples that show "positive" for drug use are sent to a laboratory for confirmation. The lab contacts the parents to make sure that the positive indication was not due to a prescribed medication.

Jackson believes the testing definitely deters many students from using drugs.

Students who test positive for drug use are referred to a prevention specialist at Tri-County Human Services for outpatient counseling and other services as deemed necessary by the specialist.

High school and middle school students participating in athletics, extra-curricular activities and who park on campus are subject to the random screening for drugs and alcohol. Also, any student may voluntarily participate in the program with written permission from the student's parent or guardian.

According to the district's policy, the administration at each school will test no less than 10 percent of the students in the testing pool during each school year.

Tests are conducted each week, but are done at different unannounced times of the day and days of the week.

On the first confirmed positive test, the student becomes ineligible to participate in any activity, for which he or she was subject to random drug testing, for one calendar week. Also, the student must enter an approved program within one week of the confirmed test result.

A negative test result from the student is required before returning to any activity for which the student is subject to random drug testing.

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