VCSC DRUG EDUCATION & TESTING PROGRAM POLICY RATIONALE The use of drugs and/or alcohol is a serious problem with legal, physical and social implications for the entire community. As the public education institution of this community, the school(s) should strive to prevent substance abuse and help substance abusers with proper education. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The categories of students who will be subject to random drug testing are described below. The rationale for including each of these groups is as follows: 1. Student-athletes: Students athletes are respected and admired by a large segment of the school population and the community. They are expected to hold themselves as good examples of conduct, sportsmanship, and mental and physical training. This includes avoiding the use of alcohol, tobacco, and unlawful or illicit drugs. 2. Participants in extracurricular activities: Participating in a nonathletic extracurricular activity or organization is considered a privilege and not a right. The recognized value of extracurricular participation to a student’s personal development has given these activities a high priority in the total school program. 3. Participants in co-curricular activities: Participating in co-curricular activity that performs outside school hours in a public setting is again a right and not a privilege. These programs are an integral part of the LHS/CMS overall education program and the members are to hold themselves as examples of good conduct. 4. Student Parkers: A substantial risk of injury exists to students and their passengers when they are operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or unlawful or illicit drugs. Drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol are a much greater risk of being involved in vehicular accidents and therefore students who take advantage of the privilege of parking on school grounds are subject to the random drug-testing program. Student drivers will not be sanctioned for any positive tests for nicotine usage. During the school year, the random drug-testing program will apply to the following groups of students based on the rationale included above: 1. All LHS and CMS members of intra-scholastic sports teams (male and female), including student managers, trainers, etc. 2. All LHS and CMS cheerleading squads and dance teams. 3. All LHS and CMS students participating in extracurricular activities. 4. All LHS and CMS students participating in marching band, and choirs performing outside school hours. *** 5. All LHS students who receive parking permits to park on school grounds. 6. Students at CMS and LHS who participate in musicals, plays and Vincennes Indoor Percussion (Drum line) as well as the JROTC “raider team” 7. Students who wish to volunteer to participate in the program are those under the age of 18 whose parents wish to have them included. *** Students who qualify for the extra-curricular code due to participation in co-curricular activities cannot be affected academically if disciplinary action takes place due to a positive drug screen or committed violation of the code.

IMPLEMENTATION This policy will be implemented to preserve the confidentiality of those students who are being tested. The implementation of this program shall not affect the policies, practices, or rights of the VINCENNES COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION in dealing with drug, alcohol, or tobacco possession or use where “reasonable suspicion” is obtained by means other than random sampling and therefore specifically reserves the right to test any student for “reasonable suspicion” of drug, alcohol, intoxicant, or tobacco usage. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES & STUDENT DRIVER CODE PHILOSOPHY VCSC extracurricular, co-curricular and athletic programs are provided to all students 6-12 for developing student interest and supplementing the instructional program. Participation in the extracurricular, co-curricular and athletic programs is a privilege extended to all students who have shown a willingness to maintain a positive attitude towards the school and its primary functions. These primary functions are as follows: 1. Acceptable behavior and conduct 2. Academic progress in the classroom 3. Civil and moral responsibility The VINCENNES COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION endorses strong discipline policies for all adolescents who choose to participate in extracurricular activities and take advantage of the privilege of driving to school and parking on school grounds. It further believes that a disciplinary policy shall give students the opportunity to redirect their lives if mistakes are made. DEFINITIONS The following definitions shall apply throughout the extracurricular code: I.

II.

III.

IV.

Regular Season Game or Competition a. As used in this policy, “games” or “competitions” or “performances” are those that include in-season games, tournaments or performances. This DOES NOT include games or events outside of the season, such as scrimmages, exhibition games, or other competitions that occur before or after the season. Drug Awareness Program a. As used in this policy, “Drug Awareness Program” is a class conducted by the staff of Children & Family Services. The curriculum deals with issues such as substance abuse and behavioral management. Parents should be aware that this class takes place at parental expense. Co-curricular Activity a. As used in this policy, “co-curricular activity” is any activity that involves student participation outside regular class time, is related to specific classes and is required for an enrolled student to receive a grade. Extracurricular Activity

a. As used in this policy, “extracurricular activity” is any activity that involves student participation outside regular class time, is related to specific classes and is not required for an enrolled student to receive a grade or credit. SCOPE This policy applies to all Vincennes Community School Corporation students in grades 6-12 who wish to participate in extracurricular activities that are listed below: 1. Athletics. (Participants include, but are not limited to, athletes, cheerleaders, dance, managers, and other athletic student personnel.) 2. Music. (Participants include, but are not limited to, performing band members, performing choir members, and participants in solo/ensemble contests, participants in Vincennes Indoor Percussion, participants in musicals) 3. Academics Teams 4. Drama 5. JROTC. (Raider team) 6. Clubs and student organizations This policy also applies to any student who wishes to drive to school, from school, or during school. The penalties provided shall be imposed without regard to whether the violation was related to the school event, regardless of the day of the week or month of the year in which the violation occurred, and without regard to whether the student was in-season at the time of the conduct. No student subject to this policy will be penalized academically for violation. CONDUCT The use of alcohol, tobacco products, and unlawful, illicit drugs is incompatible with the goals of the extracurricular and co-curricular programs at both Lincoln High School and Clark Middle School. School rules and policies, extracurricular rules, and local, state, and federal laws have long forbid such usage. Actions of student participants involving the use of such substances will result in enforcement of those consequences outlined in the extracurricular code. These codes and program documents are issued to each participant. Students participating in extracurricular and co-curricular activities agree to allow police reports to be disseminated to the athletic director and/or principal. Both student and parent signatures, signifying agreement with the terms and consequences, are required before participation is allowed.

STATEMENT OF BELIEF The Vincennes Community School Corporation recognizes that students representing Lincoln High School and Clark Middle School have certain obligations pertaining to their conduct, both in and out of their season (including summer), based upon the fact that they are representing their school and acting as role models for other students. Students who participate in extracurricular or co-curricular activities at no time are to use tobacco, consume alcohol, take controlled substances, or involve themselves in any way with illegal activity. This rule is in effect twelve months of the year. PENALTIES Under this code, there are four circumstances under which a student can be subjected to the penalties set out herein: 1. Notification to a school official by verified police report or court action substantiating a violation of this code. 2. Determination of a positive test from a random or subsequently required drug screen. 3. Direct observation of a violation by a member of the VCSC staff or administration. 4. Direct confession by a student. Any percentage of a total season contests or performances which results in fraction of a contest shall be determined by eliminating the fraction and considering the remaining whole number as the number of contests for the suspension. The minimum punishment or loss is one game, performance or competition. The penalties for violations are as follows: 1. First Offense: Student is suspended 30% of the activity in which the student is currently participating, or the suspension shall carry over to the next activity. The student and his/her parents/guardians may complete the drug awareness program at their own expense to reduce the suspension from 30% down to 15% or 50% of the original penalty. Additionally, the offending student will submit to drug screenings at the discretion of the athletic director if he/she is involved in an extracurricular or co-curricular activity. Community service hours must be performed. Ten (10) hours for first time violators that must be completed outside the school setting as set up by the student. The Principal/Athletic Director will sanction and certify the community service hours. a. Self-reporting. A student’s penalty will be decreased to 10% of an athletic season or band/choral season if the following occur. i. Student reports the violation to the Athletic Director, Principal, Coach or Director within 48 hours of the incident or prior to the first athletic contest or fine arts performance, whichever occurs first. ii. Student submits to a substance abuse program as described above. b. COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS AND DRUG TESTING SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE EVEN IF STUDENT SELF REPORTS.

2. Second offense: student is automatically suspended from participation in any extracurricular or co-curricular game or performance for 365 calendar days from the time of issuing the penalty. 3. Further offenses: student is suspended from extracurricular/co-curricular activities indefinitely, not less than 50% of the season. 4. Any penalty accrued by a student/athlete at Clark Middle School will not carry over to Lincoln High School. 5. Reinstatement a. A student who commits an offense past the first may apply for reinstatement to the extracurricular and/or co-curricular program by following the procedures below: i. Inform Principal and/or Athletic Director that he/she wishes to be reinstated. ii. Complete Drug & Alcohol counseling as set up by student and parent, and sanctioned by the Principal and/or Athletic Director iii. Complete forty (40) community service hours outside the school setting as set up by the Parent and Student. The Principal or his/her designee will sanction and certify the hours. iv. Submit to drug screening at the discretion of the Principal or his/her designee. v. Complete application to appear in front of the Student Activities Reinstatement Board. This board will consist of individuals appointed by the Principal or his/her designee. The chair of the board will be the Clark Middle School Principal for high school violators and the Lincoln High School Principal for middle school violators. Appointed reinstatement board members will serve a one-year term. 1. If the board agrees to hear the appeal, the student will then appear and state his/her request. 2. The board will render a decision to the Principal. 3. The Principal or his/her designee will inform the student in a conference along with a letter sent home to the parent/guardian. 4. The board’s decision is final and cannot be appealed. 5. If the violator is reinstated he/she must have served a minimum suspension of 30% of the season that has expired. 6. If the violator is not reinstated he/she must serve either the 365-calendar day suspension in the case of a second offense or wait until 365-calendar days to apply again if he/she is indefinitely suspended.

Any penalty imposed under this policy shall apply to any extracurricular or co- curricular activity or program in which the student is participating at the time such penalty is imposed and to any extracurricular or co-curricular activity in with the student might choose to participate during the term of the penalty. In the event the student is not participating in any activity at the time a violation of this policy is confirmed, the penalty will apply to any subsequent extracurricular or co-curricular activity in which the student athlete participates and shall remain in effect until successfully served. The penalties by students engaged in driving to school and parking on school grounds are as follow: 1. First Offense: Student parking will be terminated for thirty days or the remainder of the semester, whichever is longer. However, “positive” results from nicotine usage will not be subject to any penalties. The student and his/her parent guardian must meet with a school counselor as designated by the Principal or his/her designee to explore the possibility that a substance abuse problem exists. The no-cost, confidential session may result in a non-binding recommendation for treatment or further counseling. 2. Further Offenses: Any further offenses shall be handled at the discretion of the Principal and his/her designee and shall not be less than the penalty outlined in paragraph one above. If the penalty is not completed during the school year, the remainder will carry over into the following year.

ELIGIBILTY 1. All students who participate in an extracurricular activity shall have received passing grades at the end of the last grading period in school in at least five subjects. 2. Students who are ineligible scholastically at the end of a grading period are ineligible for the following grading period. 3. Officers of all extracurricular organizations and honorary positions on athletic teams, including captains, shall receive passing grades in five subjects to continue in office. Special elections shall be held by the members of each organization when necessary to determine replacements to offices vacated due to ineligibility. 4. Students must be in attendance in school on the day of any event or practice at least half the regular school day to be eligible to participate (doctor, dentist, funeral excuses are appropriate). Students who are suspended from school, whether it be out-of-school or in school, may not practice or participate during the time of suspension. 5. The above will apply to students new the Vincennes Community School Corporation. A new student’s transcript will be evaluated before eligibility will be granted.

I/we understand that this is an application and that my application may or may not be accepted by the reinstatement committee. I/we also understand that the decision of the committee is final and cannot be appealed.

Student Name: _________________________________________________________ Student Signature: ______________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Name: __________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature: _______________________________________________

VINCENNES COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION DRUG EDUCATION & TESTING CONSENT FORM I have received and have read a copy of the VCSC Drug Education & Testing Program and the Extracurricular and Student Driver code. I desire that ___________________________ (student name) participate in this program, and in the extracurricular program of Vincennes Community School Corporation, and hereby, voluntarily agree to be subject to its terms for middle and high school (grades 6-12). I agree to cooperate in furnishing urine samples that may be required from time to time. This consent is given pursuant to all State and Federal Privacy Statues, and is a waiver of rights to nondisclosure of such test records and results only to the extent of disclosures in the program. Date: ______________________, 20___

______________________________ Student Signature

_______________________ Parent/Guardian Signature

Student ID Number ______________________

I, _____________________________, have decided not to participate in any extracurricular activities sponsored by the Vincennes Community School Corporation for the remainder of this school year. For me to participate in the extracurricular activity program later, I understand, that I must submit to a urinalysis. ____________________________ Student Signature

_______________________ Date

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_______________________

Parent Signature

Date

2017-2018 VCSC EXTRACURRICULAR HANDBOOK

Clark Middle School Principal: Ryan Clark Lincoln High School Principal: Steve Combs VCSC Athletic Director: Jeff Hein