<p>Lynn Jackson</p>

Does suspension and expulsion deter drug and alcohol use?

Astoria School District is incorporating a multipronged approach to discipline students for violations but also combat addiction and engage them more in school.

During its study session Wednesday, the Astoria School District Board of Directors heard from Astoria High School Principal Lynn Jackson and counselor Andrew Fick about how theyre trying to rework student assistance program in response to alcohol and drug referrals.

One of the concerns weve had over the last couple of years, is weve had students with serious addiction to nicotine, said Jackson, relating a story of his friend who kept smoking cigarettes while dying of cancer. Suspension of these students may not be the best course.

Fick added that the specter of traditional deterrents is helpful for students who havent become addicted yet.

The districts current policy on use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs includes that students will meet with the student assistance director and be provided with recommendations.

Weve been in violation of this policy over the last year, because we havent had a student assistance director, said District Superintendent Craig Hoppes.

The district, though, hired Lindsay Harris, as a certified drug and alcohol counselor, late last year. She works 32 hours a week as an instructional assistant and six hours a week as a drug and alcohol counselor, with more hours added if incidents with students arise. Shes been working with Fick to rework the student assistance program, making sure students have the proper support when dealing with addiction.

If its a disciplinary referral, thats where we can use the fact theyre in trouble to get them help, he said about asking the student in trouble about joining sports or other clubs, volunteering and otherwise becoming more connected to school.

Jackson said drug and alcohol policies in athletics can also be a deterrent, as 38 percent of the student population this year has so far taken part in athletics.

Board member Laurie Choate said she wants to avoid the impression that the district is getting soft on drug and alcohol use. Jackson said discipline can still lead to suspension or expulsion if need be, but that school officials are figuring how to provide needed support.

Hoppes said the district can strengthen its partnerships with the community and engage parents more. Fick added that the school can be clear about people showing up clean and sober to school events.

Jackson said the high school teaches drug and alcohol prevention, but employees will need more time to incorporate more targeted prevention programs.

Police on campus

Our relationship with our law enforcement in the county is really good, said Hoppes, adding that the districts been working to clarify its policies regarding police on campus.

The districts current policy states that police will only go on campus when the needs of the investigation require immediate contact with the student. If the interview or action can be accomplished after school hours, that will be the districts preference.

The policy states that parents of the students interviewed by police will be advised of it, by a school employee, as soon as practical; however, there may be times when notification would not be appropriate, such as in cases of child abuse.

Hoppes pointed to a form provided by the Oregon School Boards Association that he said could get the district off the hook when law enforcement asks to interview a student on campus. It has the law enforcement official and the student to be interviewed sign a form agreeing to the interview, while law enforcement provides the necessary documentation (warrant, court order, parental consent, etc.) justifying the need for an interview.

Hoppes said he needs to continue communicating with law enforcement and the Clatsop County District Attorneys office.

In other news:

The school board reviewed progress on its forming health and wellness committee, created after the school board voted down the attempted development of a School-based Health Center. Board member Grace Laman, a nutrition instructor at Clatsop Community College and a member on the committee, said most of this year would be spent pouring over data and looking for the areas the district needs to improve. The committee, she and Choate said, has many knowledgeable and enthusiastic members. On a related note, Choate said there are grants available from the Oregon Education Association to help promote health among district employees.

Terenia Ydstie, a youth transition specialist, will resign effective March 21. She is due to have a child with her husband, Fick, in April.

Choate, who previsouly announced her retirement from Clatsop Community College effective April 1, said shell resign her school board position at the end of March. Choate will move to Olympia, Wash., for two years and help South Puget Sound Community College revitalize its nursing program.

Director of Support Services Louise Kallstrom said the district received a mostly clean financial audit, although it was marked down because of a lack of segregation in the tasks of the finance department. Well probably keep getting those comments until we hire about five people in our office, said Kallstrom, adding that other small districts face the same issue.

Kallstrom said districts will have to start reporting unfunded liability of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) benefits in their net position in audits, leaving Astoria and nearly every other district in the state in the negative.

The school board approved the recommendations for 17 teachers and a part-time counselor for second-year probationary contracts in the 2014-15 academic year.

Between December and January, Hoppes said AHS lost 17 students. Three of them, he said, graduated from Gray Alternative High School, while he knows of 10 who are attending other schools.

Students from Stanette Klapps seventh-grade science class presented on various aspects of the brain. Rappers Stephen Strong (MC Lucid), 12, Josiah Hirsch (Lil Miggy), 13, Dylan Ploghoft (Dr. Dreams), 13, and Taylor Hutchinson (Prefontal Cotex) rhymed about the functions of the brain.