Western Reserve Local School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

5530.01 - DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING FOR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND STUDENT DRIVERS

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to create an alcohol and drug-free setting for all students and District employees. It is the belief of the District that participation in any interscholastic athletics, extra-curricular activities or seeking permission and use of District facilities to park a personal vehicle is a privilege, not a right. Students who volunteer to participate in these programs are expected to accept the responsibilities granted to them by this privilege. These students as well as their parents or legal guardians must also realize that because of their choice to participate in these activities, they have a lesser expectation of privacy than do other students.

The effects of drug usage, in particular, in an educational environment are visited not just upon the users, but upon the entire student body and faculty because the educational process is disrupted and the individual's safety risk factor is increased. With regard to school athletes, participants in extra-curricular activities, and students who drive, the risk of immediate physical harm to the drug or alcohol user or those with whom the student is participating with or sharing the highway is particularly high.

As this testing is a non-curricular issue, no recording participation, of any test results either positive or negative, will appear on the student's permanent transcript or any other permanent record.

STATEMENT OF POLICY

The District prohibits the possession, use, misuse or the distribution of drugs (controlled or mood altering substances), including anabolic steroids, "look alikes", designer drugs, drug paraphernalia, health endangering substances, medication not registered with the health office, or alcohol on District property, school buses, or during activities under District jurisdiction. This policy encompasses all students in grades seven (7) through twelve (12) wishing to participate in any interscholastic athletic activity, extra-curricular activities, and those who meet the District's guidelines to drive on campus and wish to obtain a parking permit. The policy includes those students being educated by the District under special circumstances including home schooling. The District welcomes all referenced students, with the permission of their guardians, to participate in the program. Those students who are not seeking privileges for parking, participating in athletics or extra-curricular activities will be considered voluntary participants.

Any student who enters into the program will be in the program for 365 days. If the student chooses not to participate in any more activities within this program they may be removed from this program with written letter sent to the principal of their school signed by both the student and parent or legal guardian.

The District will require any student who is submitting to testing and the student's custodial parent or guardian to consent in writing to drug testing pursuant to the District's drug testing program. Written consent shall be in the form attached to this policy as Appendix A. No student should be able to participate in any interscholastic sport, extra-curricular activities or to obtain a parking permit without such consent.

DEFINITIONS
 A.Student Athlete/Cheerleader: any student participating in grades 7 to 12 athletic or cheerleading practices and/or contests or performances under the control and jurisdiction of the District, including managers, student trainers, etc.
 B.Student Driver: Any student with a valid license recognized by the state of Ohio who is in grades eleven (11) or twelve (12) and who has formally requested a parking permit via the District approved process.
 C.School Property: This policy covers all locations under the jurisdiction of the District including away events in or out of the state of Ohio.
 D.Extra-Curricular Activity: Any non-academic school sanctioned activity in which the student voluntarily participates. Participants in these programs are not graded academically for these programs.
 E.Drug/Mood Altering Substance: As used in this policy shall be defined as any controlled substance, non-controlled substances or "designer drug," "look alike" substance or health endangering substance.
  1.Controlled Substance - A controlled substance is any drug or substance listed in the list of abused drugs published by the state of Ohio. Examples include but are not limited to alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, etc.
  2.Non-Controlled Substance - A non-controlled substance is any substance containing phenylpropanolamine, pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, or any other non-controlled substance that has or is represented to have a stimulant or depressant effect on humans. In addition to the items stated above, any product that includes chemical solvents or aerosol carcinogens is also considered a non-controlled substance.
  3."Designer Drug" - A controlled substance analog is a non-controlled substance which either produces the pharmacological effect or is represented to produce phamacological effects similar to a controlled substance.
  4."Look Alike" Substance - A non-controlled substance whose physical appearance of the finished dosage form containing the non-controlled substance is substantially identical to any controlled substance, taking into account size, shape, color, markings or lack thereof.
  5.Health Endangering Substance - Any substance that may be harmful to the individual.
 F.Medical Review Officer (MRO): a licensed physician trained and certified in the process and interpretation of drug testing results.
 G.SAMHSA: the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: a governmental agency that certifies toxicology laboratories that perform drug testing following strict guidelines and constant quality assurance programs.
 H.GC/MS: Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy: a scientific process to identify specific chemical compounds. A molecular fingerprint is obtained that identifies a chemical compound with 100% accuracy.
 I.Quantitative Levels: the measurement levels of a specific chemical in the urine reported usually in nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml).
 J.Chain-of-Custody Form: a preprinted form provided by the testing laboratory that records all contact with the provided specimen. The form is initiated by the collector and donor then follows with the specimen until the results are certified by the testing scientist and forwarded to the MRO for final certification.
 K.Drug Paraphernalia: all equipment, products and material of any kind which are used, intended for use or designed for use in planting, propagating, cultivating, growing, harvesting, manufacturing, compounding, producing, processing, preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing, containing, concealing, injection, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing to the human body a controlled substance.
 L.Sports Season: the length of each season shall be determined by the guidelines established by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA).
 M.Citizenship Standard: any student who was proven by self admission or admission by the parent or guardian to violate the policy throughout the calendar year while off campus will be subject to suspension from all school-sponsored athletic activities according to the offenses outlined in section K of the Procedure for Drug Testing Athletic Participants of this policy.
 N.Suspension from Sport/Activity or Driving Privileges: based upon a positive result from a drug test or a violation of the current Western Reserve Substance Use/Abuse Policy, the student may observe but not be able to participate in the sport, activity or driving privileges until confirmation is received by the school that assessments have been scheduled. Observation is defined as having the individual dressed in street clothes during an event but may practice. The recommended treatment will supercede the sport/activity schedule. The suspension of activities or driving privileges, upon verification of a positive result, is immediate.
 O.Adulterant/Adulteration: any attempt to alter the outcome of a urine drug test by adding a substance to the sample, attempting to switch a sample, or otherwise interfere with the detection of illicit or banned substances in the Urine.
 P.Vendor: The medical office or company selected by the School Board of Directors to carry out the policy and procedure.

Adopted 4/16/03

Revised 5/18/05