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Policy JICH-R
Administrative Procedures for Student Substance Use:
If a student is found in violation of the school substance use policy and is found in possession of, using, or under the influence, the following steps will be taken by school administrators:
Police involvement: All Substances and paraphernalia will be confiscated and turned over to the police.
School Nurse: The student will participate in a wellness check.
Parents/guardians: They will be notified and asked to come in right away and the student will leave school with the parent/guardian, unless the South Portland Police Department requires a different procedure.
Restorative Classroom: The student will return to school the next day and will spend that day (and up to two additional days) in the in-school restorative practice coordinator’s classroom, until steps 5 and 6 are complete.
Assessment: An appointment for an assessment will be made with the school social worker or licensed alcohol and drug counselor. The assessment will be offered to the student privately.
Response Meeting: The student, administrator, social worker and advisor (optional: teacher or a
peer) and parent/guardian meet within 2-3 days of the incident to discuss what happened and create a response plan for the student to complete in order to reenter the regular school day.
Response Plan: The response plan for a student caught using or possessing substances will be based on the meeting, the assessment, best practice interventions for youth substance use, and available resources to address the needs of the student. The group will attempt to reach consensus on the response plan, but in the event consensus is not possible or the parents/guardians and/or student refuse to complete the assessment, the administrator will make the final decision based on the following factors:
-Substance use treatment history
-History of other discipline problems
-Student attitude and responsibility for actions
Administrators may choose from the following list of options to be included in the student’s response plan and the plan may be progressive in severity depending on the number of offenses the students has incurred:
*Meetings with the school social worker or licensed alcohol and drug counselor and the South Portland Police Department’s behavioral health liaison.
*1 or 2 days of “supported” in-school suspension. “Supported” in-school suspension not to exceed 3 days for first offense. Can be full day in-school suspension but may also include check-ins with administrators during lunch, before or after school to help maintain connection with the student. Supported in-school suspension includes academic help and the restorative practice process.
*Substance use prevention education.
*SIRP: Student Intervention and Reintegration Program: https://adcareme.org/student interventionreintegration-program-sirp-providing-skills-and-empowering-youth-to-make-informed decisions/
*Community Service.
Restorative reentry meeting: After the student has completed the response plan, the student will participate in a reentry meeting, ideally with a parent/guardian that may involve a restorative process facilitated by the in school restorative practice coordinator. The goals of the meeting are to offer the student an opportunity to repair any harm they may have caused by their actions, to reconnect the student to the school community and to create a plan for the student’s future academic success and ability to follow school expectations regarding substance use.
If an in-school suspension isn’t an option, doing an out-of-school suspension of up to 3 days for first offense, 5 days for second offense, can be lessened based on the assessment, group meeting, and other related criteria.
Second Offense: If the student has a second offense, the following response will occur:
SIRP: the student will complete the 12 hour Student Intervention and Reintegration Program: https://adcareme.org/student-intervention-reintegration-program-sirp-providing-skills-and empoweringyouth-to-make-informed-decisions/
Community Service: the student will complete 10 hours of community service.
Meeting: the student, parents/guardian will be required to participate in a meeting with school social worker, in school restorative practice coordinator, and administration.
Third Offense: If the student has a third offense, the following response will occur:
Community Service: The student will complete 10 hours of community service.
Meetings: The student will meet with the South Portland Police Department’s behavioral health liaison, which may include more than one meeting. The student, parents/guardian will also be required to participate in a meeting with school social worker, in school restorative practice coordinator, and administration.
*If a student and/or parent/guardian refuses to participate in the process, the student and his/her parent/guardian will be required to meet with the principal/superintendent and may have an out of school suspension.
Administrative Procedures for Student Dispensing, Distributing, or Selling Substances: If a student is found in violation of the dispensing, distributing, or selling substances policy the following steps will be taken by school administrators:
Police Involvement: The South Portland Police Department will be notified immediately, and all substances and paraphernalia will be confiscated and turned over to the police
School Nurse: The student will participate in a wellness check
Parents/guardians: They will be notified and the student will leave school with the parent/guardian, unless the South Portland Police Department requires a different procedure.
Response Meeting: the student, administrator, social worker and advisor (optional teacher or peer) and parent/guardian meet within 2-3 days of the incident to discuss what happened and create a response plan for the student to complete in order to reenter the regular school day.
Response Plan: A student caught dispensing, distributing, or selling will include an immediate suspension of 10 days pending expulsion proceedings by the Superintendent. Additional options for the response plan:
*Assessment: The student will be encouraged to have an assessment with the school social worker or licensed alcohol and drug counselor. The assessment will be offered to the student privately.
*Ongoing counseling: Meetings with the school social worker or licensed alcohol and drug use counselor.
*Community service.
Restorative Conference: After the student has completed the response plan, the student will participate in a reentry meeting, ideally with a parent/guardian that may involve a restorative process facilitated by the in school restorative practice coordinator. The goals of the meeting are to offer the student an opportunity to repair any harm they may have caused by their actions, to reconnect the student to the school community and to create a plan for the student’s future academic success and ability to follow school expectations regarding substance use and the dispensing, distribution, or selling of substances.
Revised: May 8, 2018
Revised: June 13, 2022
*Please excuse any formatting errors.
