Section 2.1: School Related Operations

Approved: October 2, 2001

Revised: October 16, 2018

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND RELATED BEHAVIOUR

Procedures 

1.0             Administrative Regulations

1.1             The responsibility of the Substance Abuse and Related Behaviour Policy rests with the Chief Executive Officer through the superintendents, principal and vice-principals of each school.

1.2             The Substance Abuse and Related Behaviour Policy will be outlined in the school’s student handbook, which will be reviewed with students at the beginning of each school year and at time of entry for new students. In addition, the policy may be reviewed with students through some of the following means: the student handbook, grade assemblies, and on the school website/blog, etc.

1.3             It is the responsibility of the staff and employees of the District School Board Ontario North East (DSB1) to report a reasonable suspicion of an incident of substance use/abuse to the principal or vice-principal.  In addition, all members of a school community, students, staff and parents, share a responsibility for maintaining a safe school environment through reporting suspicions of incidents of substance use and abuse.

1.4             The implementation of the Substance Abuse and Related Behaviour Policy will improve communication between the school, parents and community support agencies.

2.0             Procedures

2.1             The following Procedures clearly outline DSB1 procedures for the following:

• The management of tobacco and smoking related incidents
• The management of alcohol, illegal, controlled and/or restricted substances, prescription drugs/inhalants, and related incidents for the purposes of intoxication
• The management of alcohol, illegal, controlled and/or restricted substances, prescription drugs/inhalants, and related incidents for the purposes of trafficking
• The management of sports performance and/or appearance-enhancing drug related incidents

2.2             The following Procedures specify ways by which the Board will address substance use/abuse in the schools:

• The establishment of preventative procedures designed to encourage a positive school climate, thereby discouraging substance use/abuse
• The establishment of procedures to allow staff to intervene in situations involving substance use/abuse
• The administration of fair and consistent disciplinary action in response to substance use/abuse
• The recommendations for appropriate substance use/abuse counselling for students on suspension or expulsion due to substance use/abuse related behaviour
• The partnership with the Police to do searches of lockers and/or classrooms will be permitted (when invited by the Principal or designate) to assist in prevention of drug use and/or trafficking in schools

3.0             The Management of Tobacco, Cannabis, and Smoking-related Incidents:

3.1             Students will not smoke, inhale, chew tobacco or vape in the school or on school board property and/or on buses under contract with the Board or at school-sponsored activities unless within the designated area.

3.2             No student in possession of tobacco, cannabis or smoking-related products (e.g., e-cigarettes, vaping products) shall supply such products to a student under the legal age to purchase such products.

3.3             The principal or designate has the right to suspend the student in violation of the above for a period not to exceed ten (10) school days.

3.4             The principal or designate will advise the parent/guardian of the offence and the disciplinary action taken.

3.5             The Principal or designate may recommend “stop smoking” programs for repeat offenders.

4.0             The Management of Alcohol, Illegal, Controlled and/or Restricted Substances, Prescription Drugs/Inhalants, and Related Incidents for the Purpose of Intoxication:

4.1             No alcoholic, illegal, controlled and/or restricted substances and prescription drugs/inhalants of any type for the purpose of intoxication are permitted under any circumstances in the school or on school board property and/or on buses under contract with the Board or at school sponsored activities.

4.2             Where students are involved regardless of age, alcoholic beverages will not be available to anyone at any banquet or event that is sponsored by, or operated in the name of any school under the jurisdiction of the DSB1.

4.3             Where a school sponsored event takes place off school board property, and students are involved, the following shall apply:

• the location be a non-licensed establishment, or
• no special permit shall be sought, or
• if the location is licensed, no alcoholic beverages will be permitted in the banquet or event area.

4.4             Any student enrolled in a school operated by DSB1 found to be in possession of or judged to be under the influence of alcohol, illegal, controlled and/or restricted substances and prescription drugs taken for the purpose of intoxication while on board property and/or school bus or while participating in any school function, regardless of location shall be suspended from school not to exceed twenty (20) school days.

4.5             In investigating and concluding the evidence is sufficient to warrant a suspension, the Principal will immediately contact the parent/guardian and advise of the incident and terms of the suspension.

4.6             In addition to the suspension, if the incident occurs at a school-sponsored activity (e.g., school dance, sporting event, extra-curricular event), the student shall be prohibited from participating in the same kind of activity for a period not to exceed one school year, or for once a year events, in the following year.

4.7             The Police may be called into the school to do drug searches of lockers and/or classrooms if the principal or designate has reported to the police reasonable suspicions of the presence of illegal, controlled and/or restricted substances.

4.8             When the principal or designate has reasonable suspicion that alcohol/illegal, controlled and/or restricted substances and prescription drugs/inhalants are contained in a student’s locker or desk, the Principal or designate is authorized to search such person, bags, locker, and/or desk. A witness must be present.

4.9             The Principal or designate shall arrange for careful monitoring of the student while in the school’s custody and the safe departure of the student from the school property or school-sponsored activity by either the parent, legal guardian, police or ambulance.

4.10        The Principal or designate may require, as a condition of return after the suspension, that the student be attending appropriate counselling sessions. The Principal or designate may determine the length of time for which counselling is to be sought.

5.0             The Management of Alcohol Illegal, Controlled and/or Restricted Substances, Prescription Drugs/Inhalants, and Related Incidents for the Purposes of Trafficking

5.1             No student shall traffic in alcohol, illegal, controlled and/or restricted substances, prescription drugs/inhalants in the school or on school board property and/or on buses under contract with the board or at school-sponsored activities.  The Police may be called into the school to do drug searches of lockers and/or classrooms if the principal or designate has reported to the police reasonable suspicions of the presence of illegal, controlled and/or restricted substances.

5.2             Staff members must report any and all reasonable suspicions to the principal or designate.

5.3             Where a student is suspected to be in contravention of the above the police will be immediately contacted and the parent/guardian will be advised. In instances where police wish to interview students under the age of 18, the principal or designate will immediately call a parent/guardian of the student and invite them to accompany the student in the police interview. 

5.4             The student will be immediately suspended for the maximum twenty (20) days and the principal, in consultation with the Regional Supervisory Officer, may initiate procedures pursuant to the Ontario Schools Code of Conduct (i.e., the Provincial Code of Conduct and the School Board Codes of Conduct) and Education Act (e.g., Ontario Regulation 472/07, Behaviour, Discipline and Safety of Pupils), which may lead to expulsion.

5.5             If a suspension leading to expulsion is recommended, the Student Discipline Committee will convene to determine the evidence provided and provide a decision as to the outcome.  The Student Discipline Committee may require, as a condition of return after the suspension, that the student be attending appropriate counselling sessions. The Principal or designate may determine the length of time for which counselling is to be sought.

6.0             The Management of Sports Performance and/or Appearance Enhancement Through Drug Abuse Related Incidents:

6.1             No student shall use non-prescription/prescription drugs to improve athletic performance or enhance appearance.

6.2             Staff members will report reasonable suspicion to the principal or designate.

6.3             When the principal or designate has a reasonable suspicion that a student is in contravention of the above, the parent or guardian will be immediately contacted.

6.4             The Principal or designate may recommend counselling regarding the use/abuse of these drugs.

6.5             A student in contravention of the above will be immediately suspended for up to ten (10) school days. Further to the suspension, the student will be prohibited from participating in school sports for a period not to exceed one school year.