Philosophy/Purpose:

The Board of Education believes that the use of prohibited substances: alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs by students who participate in extracurricular activities presents a particular hazard to the health and welfare of students and those who compete with those students. The Board recognizes the intrinsic values associated with participation in extracurricular activities and encourages students to participate. However, the Board is committed to the principle that students who have the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular activities must agree to submit to testing for the use of prohibited substances, if selected, in accordance with this policy.

This policy has been adopted by the Board of Education of Stockton C.U.S.D. #206 and applies to all students, grades 9-12, who participate in those extracurricular activities listed herein. This policy is in tandem with the Stockton C.U.S.D. #206 Extracurricular Code of Conduct and all other policies regarding student conduct. This policy has been adopted as a response to the developing problem of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use by students, and in particular, student extracurricular participants.

The District recognizes that there is a high incidence of alcohol and drug abuse by students nationwide, which is epidemic in proportion. The District also recognizes that some Stockton High School students, and in particular, participants in extracurricular activities have used alcohol and have or will experiment with illegal drugs, alcohol and/or tobacco during their high school years. Because participants in extracurricular activities are especially respected and held in high esteem by the student body, they are expected to be good examples of conduct, sportsmanship, and training, which includes abstaining from the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. Moreover, participants in extracurricular activities who use illegal substances can be a danger to themselves both in and out of the extracurricular activity.

In order to provide for the health and safety of the individual participant and other extracurricular participants, as well as, to provide a legitimate reason for the students to say NO to drug use and to provide an opportunity for those taking drugs to receive help in locating programs that can provide assistance, the District is conducting a random drug testing program for extracurricular participants. The program emphasis is preventive, rather than punitive. It is designed to prevent drug, alcohol, and tobacco usage, to educate student extracurricular participants as to the serious physical, mental and emotional harm caused by drug, alcohol, and tobacco use/abuse, to create and maintain a safe and drug free environment for student athletes and to assist them in getting help when needed.

The purpose of this policy is to deter the use of prohibited substances and not to provide a means, which the District may use to discipline a student other than by disqualification from participation in extracurricular activities. Accordingly, the results of any drug test administered under this policy shall be used only for determination of eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities and for no other disciplinary purpose. Nothing in this policy affects other District policies which allow the District to search or test any student based upon reasonable suspicion that the student is violating the Board of Education Policy prohibiting drug and alcohol use. Positive tests based on reasonable suspicion may result in consequences under the Student Discipline Code as well as under the Extracurricular Conduct Code.

Definitions:

A. Extracurricular Activities

School sponsored activities outside the regular school day, conducted by and representing Stockton High School where participation is voluntary, no academic credit or grades are awarded, including but not limited to the following list of extracurricular activities: all interscholastic sports, dance team, scholastic bowl team, dramatic and musical productions, and all choral and band ensembles which meet throughout the school year.

B. Extracurricular Participant

Any student who is trying out for or participating in any school sponsored activity listed above.

C. Alcohol

Any liquor, wine, beer, or other drink containing alcohol.

D. Illegal Drugs

Any substance considered illegal or controlled by the Food and Drug Administration.

E. Tobacco

Any tobacco product including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, or pipe tobacco.

F. Self-Referral

The process of a student voluntarily coming forward and seeking help for a problem with an illegal drug, alcohol, or tobacco.

G. Testing Cycle

The time period for random substance abuse tests will be determined by the District and testing organization. Cycles may be weekly, monthly, quarterly, or by the term.

H. Dilute Specimen

A specimen with a specific gravity of less than 1.003. Individual has more fluids in their body limiting the testing of the sample.

I. Testing Organization

The organization selected by the Board of Education to conduct the random substance-testing program and all required testing activities and/or tasks.

Consent Form:

To try out for or to participate in any school sponsored extracurricular activity, the student must read this policy and sign a consent form by which the student agrees that as a condition of participation in extracurricular activities, he/she (hereinafter extracurricular participant) will consent to the substance testing program outlined in this procedure. This consent form must also be signed by the parents/guardians of the student at the beginning of the school year or prior to try-outs for a specific activity. Students deciding to try out or participate in an extracurricular activity after the first sign-up deadline will be required to be tested at the parents/guardians expense after the signed consent form is returned. This testing will occur on the next scheduled test date; the extracurricular participant will then remain eligible for random testing for the remainder of the school year.

Withdrawal of Consent:

Consent for participation may be withdrawn under the following conditions:

1. Should a student be unsuccessful in trying out for a team/activity under the try out procedures outlined and choose not to be involved in any other activity for the remainder of the school year, the parents/guardians shall send a letter to the Principal or his/her designee so indicating and requesting the removal of the student's name from the random test list.

2. Should a senior student choose not to be a participant in any additional qualified extracurricular activities for the remainder of his/her school career, the parents/guardians shall send a letter to the Principal or his/her designee so indicating and requesting the removal of the student's name from the random list.

3. Should a student elect to resume participating in any qualified activity during the school year that the withdrawal was approved the student will be required to be tested at the parents/guardians expense prior to trying out or participating in an extracurricular activity.

Noncompliance:

If the extracurricular participant or his/her parents/guardians refuse to sign the consent form for substance abuse testing, the student will not be permitted to be a member of the activity until such consent form is signed. Additionally, if the extracurricular participant refuses to be tested or does not complete the test as instructed, the extracurricular participant will be considered in violation of this policy and automatically be ineligible as an extracurricular participant until testing is completed and results are negative.

Confidentiality:

The results of any test administrated under the terms of this policy shall be kept confidential and disclosed only to the extracurricular participant, his/her parent/guardian, and school officials designated by the Superintendent. The results of the testing shall not be used as a basis for any disciplinary action other than disqualification as provided for in the Stockton High School Extracurricular Code of Conduct. The test results will not be part of the extracurricular participant permanent record but will be kept in a secure file in the school office. The results of testing, negative or positive, will be kept until the student graduates. At that time all results/records of this policy related to individual students will be purged.

Under this drug testing program, no staff member, coach, or sponsor shall divulge any information to anyone about a particular student or disposition of the student involved, other than by order of a court or competent jurisdiction.

Random Selection of Extracurricular Participants for Testing:

At the beginning of each school year, each extracurricular participant shall be assigned a number by the Superintendent or his/her designee. The selection of numbers will be computer generated and will include an M or F for male/female designation of students to help with staffing needs for the tests. Students will be eligible for random testing throughout the school year. There will be student numbers selected for each week of the month; student numbers will be forwarded to the Principal or his/her designee, and students will be tested in the order the numbers are selected.

Notification of Extracurricular Participant Selection/Absence:

The selected extracurricular participants will be notified to report to the Principal's office on the day of the test. The student will then be escorted to the test site. If the student is absent from school, and the absence is unexcused, the student will be ineligible for competition until the next testing date; he/she will automatically be tested on that date. If the absence is excused, the student will remain eligible for practice and competition but will automatically be tested on the next date. After testing, an extracurricular participant's number will be returned to the testing population and subject to re-selection during the next testing cycle. Extracurricular participants will be subject to random testing throughout the school year.

Self Referral:

Student self-referral is a process designed to allow a student to recognize a prohibited substance problem and bring it to the attention of staff or administration. Under the Extracurricular Code of Conduct a student receives no consequences for self-referral but must undergo a substance abuse assessment and counseling. This is a non-punitive referral.

Self-referrals are also available under the random drug testing policy. However, once a student is selected by number/name for testing, a self-referral will no longer be an option. Any subsequent self-referrals will be reviewed individually in regard to the basis for self-referral and the Extracurricular Code of Conduct. The Policy Committee of the Board of Education and/or the full Board of Education will conduct this review.

Student Transfers:

A student transferring to Stockton High School will be provided a copy of this policy. Transfer students and parents will be given a reasonable period of time (not to exceed 5 school days) to determine whether or not the student intends to participate in extracurricular activities. If, within the period of time given, the consent form is signed appropriately, the student will be added to the random list, and will be subject to testing throughout the year. If a decision is made to participate after the original timeline for consent, the student will automatically be tested on the next scheduled test date, prior to the activity tryout or participation.

Program Details Testing Procedures:

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall assign a number to each extracurricular participant on a random basis and shall develop a master list of assigned numbers. During the school year and on a weekly basis, excluding the winter and spring holiday break, extracurricular participants will randomly be selected for substance testing from the pool of numbers submitted by the Superintendent or his/her designee. Testing may occur on any day, Monday through Friday. Each student participant may be tested at any time during the year.

1. No student will be given any advance notice or early warning of the substance abuse testing.

2. Substance abuse testing may be performed by breath and urine sampling. Upon being selected for breath alcohol testing, a student must provide an adequate amount of breath so that the measuring device can measure any alcohol concentration in the breath. Upon being selected for a urine drug test, the student shall provide a sample of fresh urine according to the quality control policy of the collection facility that is being utilized.

3. An appropriately trained individual will accompany the student until he or she provides an adequate, verifiable urine specimen. The student will not be under direct visual observation while providing the sample, unless the appropriate trained individual has a reasonable suspicion that the extracurricular participant will alter the specimen or substitute the specimen. The aforesaid appropriate trained individual shall document the basis for his/her belief that the extracurricular participant will alter the specimen or dilute the specimen. If unable to produce a specimen, the student will be given up to 24 ounces of fluid. If unable to produce a specimen within 2 hours, the student will be declared ineligible for competition or participation in extracurricular activities unless there is a verifiable medical condition that exists. The student will be again tested at the next available date in order to be eligible.

4. All specimens registering below 90 degrees F (32 degrees C) or above 100 degrees F (38 degrees C) will be invalid. The head strip on each specimen bottle indicates the validity of the urine specimen by temperature. If a specimen is invalid, the student must provide another specimen.

5. If a student tampers with the specimen or cheats during the collection process, that student will be considered as testing positive and will be ineligible for extracurricular activities according to the Extracurricular Code of Conduct.

6. Immediately after the specimen is taken, the student may return to class with an admit slip or pass with the time he/she left the collection site.

7. Each specimen is given/sent to the laboratory for testing for alcohol, tobacco, or controlled substances (which may include all drugs listed as controlled substance under Illinois law, or defined as such by the Food and Drug Administration), and at selected times performing enhancing drugs such as steroids.

Chain of Custody:

1. The Board of Education will provide appropriately trained individuals, set up the collection environment, guarantee specimens, and supervise the chain of custody.

2. A District staff member will escort students to the collection site. No student will be allowed to go to his or her locker. Classroom interruptions will be minimized. Students may be called for testing after school during practice time.

3. Before the laboratory tests a student's urine, he or she must sign any form that may be required by the testing laboratory. If a student chooses, he or she may notify the administrator that he/she is taking a prescription medication.

4. A sealed collection kit containing a specimen bottle will be given to each student. The bottle will remain in the possession of the student until a seal is placed upon the bottle, and the student signs that the specimen is sealed. Only the lab testing the specimen may break the seal.

5. If the seal is tampered with or broken, after leaving the possession of the student and prior to arriving at the lab, the specimen is invalid. The student will remain eligible for extracurricular activities subsequent to a retest at the next testing time.

6. Students will be instructed to remove all coats and wash their hands in the presence of an appropriately trained individual before entering the restroom stall. The stall door will be closed while the student provides a urine specimen. The staff member will wait outside the restroom stall. (The commode will contain a blue dye, so the water cannot be used to dilute the sample). The faucets in the restroom will be shut off and sealed with evidence tape. All garbage containers will be removed from the restroom stall.

7. After it is sealed, the specimen will be transported/sent to the testing laboratory by the appropriately trained individual. The testing organization will report the results to the Building Principal.

Testing Results:

1. The testing laboratory will notify the District of a positive test that shows the drug residues are in the student's system after using at least two different types of analyses. The administration of the District will notify the student and his or her parents/guardians of the results of a positive drug screen. The student or his/her parent/guardian may submit any documented prescription or explanation of a positive test result. The Medical Review Officer will discuss any possible physical/medical history with the parents/guardians. If such a condition or history exists and is verified by proper medical authorities, the drug screen will be deemed negative. If the documentation or history does not show a condition or explanation, the drug screen will be deemed positive.

2. In addition, the student or parent/guardian may request that a certified laboratory at the cost of the parent/guardian test the urine specimen again. This request to have the specimen tested again will be made within twenty-four (24) hours of the notification of the first positive test results. Should the test be confirmed as positive and there is not a satisfactory explanation for the positive results, the student will be considered to be in violation of the Extracurricular Code of Conduct. If it is determined by mutual acknowledgement of both testing facilities that the first test was invalid, the parent will be reimbursed the cost of the retest. The student will be reinstated if the results of the first test are determined invalid by a subsequent test.

3. Where no subsequent test is requested or if the test is verified positive by a subsequent test requested by the student and his or her parent/guardian, the administration will meet with the student and his or her parent/guardian. The stipulations of the Extracurricular Code of Conduct will be explained in relation to the counseling and extracurricular suspension, and the proper forms will be signed. The student may not participate in extracurricular activities for the period of suspension and until a required follow-up test is completed and the results of the follow-up are negative. The cost of the follow-up test is to be assumed by the participant.

4. In order to return to participation, a follow-up test is required after the suspension period is served or after such an interval of time that the substance previously found would normally be eliminated from the body, whichever comes later. If this follow-up test is negative, the student will be allowed to resume extracurricular activities. If a positive result is obtained from the follow-up test, or any later test, it will be considered a subsequent violation, and the student will be subject to the conditions of the Extracurricular Code of Conduct. In addition, the District reserves the right to continue testing at any time during the remaining school year any participating student who had a verified positive test.

5. Information on any positive test results verified by a subsequent test, or any positive test results which neither the student nor the parents/guardian has requested that the urine specimen be tested again by a certified laboratory, will be shared on a need to know basis with the coach or sponsor of the student. The results of any negative test will be kept confidential.

6. Drug testing results sheets will be available to the Principal or his/her designee. Names will not be kept in open files or on any computer. Result sheets will be secured in a location to which only the Principal or his/her designee has access.

7. Should the testing lab determine that the urine sample is a diluted specimen; the student will be retested at the next test date. The student will remain eligible until the retest results are known.

Financial Responsibility

1. Under this policy, the District will pay for all initial and random substance abuse tests and any initial follow-up substance abuse tests necessitated by an invalid specimen.

2. A request for another test of a positive urine specimen and follow-up tests are the financial responsibility of the student or the student's parent/guardian.

3. Student participants and parents/guardians assume financial responsibility for substance abuse counseling.

Testing Negative:

The parents/guardians of the extracurricular participant who tests negative will be notified by mail as soon as is practical.

Testing Positive:

If the test results are positive, the extracurricular participant will be considered in violation of the Stockton High School Extracurricular Code of Conduct. The student and parents/guardians will be notified as soon as practical. The consequences of the violation are outlined in the Extracurricular Code of Conduct.

Non-Participants:

Any parent or guardian of a District student who is not an extracurricular participant may have the option of enrolling that student in this random substance abuse testing program. The student will be subject to all policies and procedures herein contained. All testing for non-participants will be at the expense of the parent/guardian.

Enforcement:

The provisions of this policy are considered an addition to all other rules and regulations governing student conduct and discipline in extracurricular activities.

Expenses:

Funding for this program will be by Board of Education action.

Incentive Program:

An incentive program will be setup and administered for those students who test negative.

Severability:

If any section of this policy cannot be enforced according to its terms, that section will be severed and will not affect the enforceability of the remainder of this policy.