District Approves Drug Testing
PRINCEVILLE -- Edgecombe County Public Schools now has a drug testing policy for
its student athletes.
The Board of Education unanimously approved the measure during its regular
meeting Monday. The new policy will take effect Jan. 1.
The policy, which applies to middle and high school athletes and cheerleaders,
had undergone revisions due to input received during board advisory sessions
Sept. 22 and 23. Among the changes were the punishments for positive test
results, which now eliminate a violator's participation in overlapping sports.
Previous versions of the policy had first-time violators suspended from athletic
competition for the remainder of the current sports season ( fall, winter or
spring ). They now will not be allowed to participate in all interscholastic
athletics for the remainder of the current season.
Second-time violators previously were suspended from athletic competition for 12
months. Along with the 12-month suspension from athletics, they now cannot
participate in all interscholastic athletics for the remainder of the current
season.
Third-time violators previously were suspended from athletic competition for the
remainder of the current season and barred from interscholastic athletics for
the remainder of his or her time in middle school ( for middle school athletes )
or high school ( for high school athletes ) in Edgecombe County Public Schools.
They now cannot participate in all interscholastic athletics for the remainder
of the current season, and would receive a 24-month suspension from athletic
competition.
As in previous versions of the policy, at least 10 percent of student athletes
will be selected for each random testing event. The new policy calls for random
selection based on a numbered roster system. The county schools' Human Resource
Services department will administer the selection process.
Also Monday, the board received information on two grants that recently have
been awarded to the county schools by the U.S. Department of Education. The
Early Reading First Grant was awarded collectively to the public school systems
of Edgecombe, Duplin, Washington, Bladen and Nash-Rocky Mount. Edgecombe will
receive $846,063 of the $4.23 million award over three years.
The funds will be used to better prepare pre-K students for kindergarten, said
Steve Stone, superintendent of Edgecombe County Public Schools. The grant will
support existing efforts to enhance the early language and pre-reading skills of
pre-K students. The Edgecombe school system is in the process of determining
how it will use the funds, said Debbie Pace, director of pre-school programs for
the county schools.
The Edgecombe Middle College, an alternative high school program created through
a partnership with Edgecombe Community College, received a five-year, $675,000
grant, which will be used for personnel.
The Middle College currently has 40 students and eight staff members, and
Assistant Principal Marshall Matson expects to add 20 students in the spring.
Stone said the goal is to increase enrollment to more than 100, which would make
it eligible for school status under state law.
The board unanimously approved individual school budgets for 2003-2004. The
budgets, which tie in funds with School Improvement Plans, are in the following
amounts:
Bulluck Elementary School: $77,410
Carver Elementary School: $131,801
Center for Educational Achievement: $9,279
Coker-Wimberly Magnet School: $94,610.
Martin Middle School: $99,720
North Edgecombe High School: $109,979
Pattillo A+ School: $176,767
Phillips Magnet School: $148,075
Princeville Montessori School: $77,325
Roberson Elementary School: $50,560
South Edgecombe Middle School: $138,431
SouthWest Edgecombe High School: $393,545
Stocks Elementary School: $167,832
Tarboro High School: $387,278
West Edgecombe Middle School: $187,364.
Newshawk: Chip
Pubdate: Tue, 14 Oct 2003
Source: Daily Southerner, The (NC)
Copyright: 2003 The Daily Southerner.
Contact: 504 West Wilson Street, P.O. Box 1199, Tarboro, NC 27886
Website:
http://www.dailysoutherner.com/
Details:
http://www.mapinc.org/media/1916
Author: Charles Kinnin
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