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With schools across West Central Alberta gearing up for the start of the 2011-12 school year, students of all grades are no doubt both sad to see the summer go but also happy to once again be meeting up with their classmates.
As with every new school year, this upcoming year holds the promise of lots of great learning opportunities and extracurricular activities, and plenty of student socializing.
Yet as with other schools across the province, schools in this district also face a number of modern hurdles, not the least of which is narcotics finding their way into school communities.
As it has in past years, the Chinook's Edge School Division will no doubt be working hard this year to ensure students are protected and shielded, as much as possible, from drug traffickers who make it their business to target students, including those in the younger grades.
Chinook's Edge has one of the most comprehensive substance abuse policies anywhere in the province in place to combat illegal drugs.
Policy 3-1 states that the division “believes student use of alcohol and non-prescription drugs is detrimental to the learning process and is therefore prohibited in schools, on school property or during school-related activities.”
Under the policy, school officials are instructed to cooperate with law enforcement agencies for the surveillance of trafficking or use of controlled substances on school premises.
“The RCMP are to be contacted if a criminal offence has been committed, or a perceived danger to the well-being of staff or students exists,” the policy states. “A student observed in the act of providing alcohol or drugs to another student shall be reported immediately to the principal. The principal shall suspend the student and may recommend to the superintendent that the student be expelled.”
As well as enforcement, the policy also calls on educators to “ensure that educational programs include components designed to increase students' knowledge of the facts relating to controlled substances and alcohol.”
With young people spending a great deal of their time at schools, having education and enforcement programs and policies in place at the school level is obviously one of the best ways to make sure illegal drugs don't find footholds in school communities.
Of course parents, caregivers and other stakeholders must also do their parts throughout the year to make sure young people are aware of the dangers of drug abuse.
The upcoming 2011 - 2012 school year promises lots of great things for students of all ages – as such, making school communities drug-free is in everyone's best interest.
