Healthy Choices Committee Work

Transcription

1 Healthy Choices Committee Work The Healthy Choices Committee is nearing completion of the first draft of the Athletics and Activities Code of Conduct (AACC). The 20+ members of the committee grounded the work by examining Colorado School Discipline Laws and Regulations. This background knowledge was used to guide the revision of the existing AACC. As stated in previous updates, the committee also used the results of a survey and examples from other districts. I have attached the survey results. Colorado State Statute declares that schools should use a multi-tiered system of discipline approaches when dealing with discipline problems. Expulsion (exclusion) should be a last resort Legislative declaration. The general assembly hereby finds that except when a student's behavior would cause imminent harm to others in the school or when an incident requires automatic expulsion as defined by state law or a school's conduct and discipline code, expulsion should be the last step taken after several attempts to deal with a student who has discipline problems. The general assembly further finds that school districts should work with the student's parent or guardian and with state agencies and communitybased nonprofit organizations to develop alternatives to help students who are at risk of expulsion before expulsion becomes a necessary step and to support students who are unable to avoid expulsion. In addition, the revision process was guided by C.R.S (2)(a) which includes an emphasis on education, prevention, and intervention strategies. (a) Conduct and discipline code. (II) In creating and enforcing a school conduct and discipline code pursuant to subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (a), each school district board of education, on and after August 1, 2013, shall: (A) Impose proportionate disciplinary interventions and consequences, including but not limited to in-school suspensions, in response to student misconduct, which interventions and consequences are designed to reduce the number of expulsions, out-of-school suspensions, and referrals to law enforcement, except for such referrals to law enforcement as are required by state or federal law; (B) Include plans for the appropriate use of prevention, intervention, restorative justice, peer mediation, counseling, or other approaches to address student misconduct, which approaches are designed to minimize student exposure to the criminal and juvenile justice system. The plans shall state that a school administration shall not order a victim's participation in a restorative justice practice or peer mediation if the alleged victim of an offending student's misconduct alleges that the misconduct constitutes unlawful sexual behavior, as defined in section (9), C.R.S.; a crime in which the underlying factual basis involves domestic violence, as defined in section (1),

2 C.R.S.; stalking as defined in section , C.R.S.; or violation of a protection order, as defined in section , C.R.S.; (C) Ensure that the implementation of the code complies with all state and federal laws concerning the education of students with disabilities, as defined in section (5); and (D) Ensure that, in implementing the code, each school of the school district shows due consideration of the impact of certain violations of the code upon victims of such violations, in accordance with the provisions of title IX of the United States Code and other state and federal laws. The committee rewrote the Drug and Alcohol section of the code first. I have included the DRAFT language for your review. This has not been finalized by the committee. District Codes applies in addition to Athletics and Activities Code of Conduct DRAFT AACC Code Violation Section Possession, use, or under the influence of marijuana, drugs, alcohol, and controlled substances or the possession of paraphernalia including vapor pens 1 st Violation: 20% loss of season (consecutively scheduled games/events (including playoffs) in the season established by CHSAA and the activities director.) If less than 20% of the sports season or activity remains, the sanction will be carried over into the next season or school year. During the exclusion period, the student may continue to practice, but may not dress for or participate in any athletic contest or formal activity event. The student will meet with a drug/alcohol counselor for an assessment. Parents will be notified and are encouraged to be involved in the assessment process. The student will be required to identify those who have been adversely affected by his/her actions and take responsibility for repairing the harm caused by the action prior to rejoining the team/activity. Depending upon the level of the violation, law enforcement may be notified. The student is eligible for a reduction of the exclusion of up to 10% of the season by completing specific interventions that a drug/alcohol counselor recommends based on the individual assessment. Interventions that the drug/alcohol counselor may recommend could include any and all of the following:

3 Drug/alcohol testing parents, school counselor, drug/alcohol counselor and administration will be tailored to the student s specific needs and the level of violation. 2 nd Violation: 40% loss of season (consecutively scheduled games/events (including playoffs) in the season established by CHSAA and the activities director.) If less than 40% of the sports season or activity remains, the sanction will be carried over into the next season or school year. During the exclusion period, the student may continue to practice, but may not dress for or participate in any athletic contest or formal activity event. The student will meet with a drug/alcohol counselor for an assessment. Parents will be notified and are encouraged to be involved in the assessment process. The student will be required to identify those who have been adversely affected by his/her actions and take responsibility for repairing the harm caused by the action. Depending upon the level of the violation, law enforcement may be notified. The student is eligible for a reduction of the exclusion of up to 20% of the season by completing specific interventions that a drug/alcohol counselor recommends based on the individual assessment. Interventions that the counselor may recommend could include any and all of the following: Drug/alcohol testing parents, school counselor, drug/alcohol counselor, and administration will be tailored to the student s specific needs and the level of violation. 3 rd Violation: Immediate ineligibility for interscholastic competition or activities for one calendar year starting from the date of the third violation; and No possibility of shortening the sanction Law enforcement may be notified based upon the level of the violation. Student will be referred to the SMART team, Durango s Community Collaborative for the evaluation of needed wrap-around services.

4 Sale, purchase, procurement, or distribution of alcohol, marijuana, illicit drugs, or controlled substances This type of offense is considered more serious. As a result of a sale, purchase, procurement, or distribution of alcohol, marijuana, illicit drugs, or controlled substances, an increased number of students are put at risk. 1 st Violation: 40% loss of season (consecutively scheduled games/events (including playoffs) in the season established by CHSAA and the activities director.) If less than 40% of the sports season or activity remains, the sanction will be carried over into the next season or school year. During the exclusion period, the student may continue to practice, but may not dress for or participate in any athletic contest or formal activity event. The student will meet with a drug/alcohol counselor for an assessment. Parents will be notified and are encouraged to be involved in the assessment process. The student will be required to identify those who have been adversely affected by his/her actions and take responsibility for repairing the harm caused by the action. Depending upon the level of the violation, law enforcement may be notified. The student is eligible for a reduction of the exclusion of up to 20% of the season by completing specific interventions that a drug/alcohol counselor recommends based on the individual assessment. Interventions that the counselor may recommend could include any and all of the following: Drug/Alcohol Testing parents, school counselor, drug/alcohol counselor, and administration will be tailored to the student s specific needs and the level of violation. 2 nd Violation: Immediate ineligibility for interscholastic competition or activities for one calendar year starting from the date of the second violation; and No possibility of shortening the sanction Law enforcement may be notified depending upon the level of violation. Student will be referred to the SMART team, Durango s Community Collaborative for the evaluation of needed wrap-around services.

5 Possession or use of tobacco or any tobacco product or paraphernalia 1 st Violation: Loss of one (1) contest or event Student will be referred to school counselor and participate in the Tobacco Cessation Program through the 9R District Nurses 2 nd Violation: Loss of two (2) contests or events Student will be referred to school counselor and participate in the Tobacco Cessation Program through the 9R District Nurses 3 rd Violation: Loss of the rest of the season. If less than three (3) contests or events are left in the season, the consequence extends into the next season. The student is eligible to restore up to 50% of the season by completing specific interventions that the school counselor recommends based on an individual assessment. Interventions that the counselor may recommend could include any and all of the following: parents, school counselor, and administration will be tailored to the student s specific needs and the level of violation. The other sections that are in progress include: Red Card requirements Definition of restorative practices Glossary of Terms On-line class for Healthy Behaviors (We looked at the Life of an Athlete) as well as the development of health classes that educate about drugs/alcohol and refusal skills. Student Participant Contract Training/support for coaches in restorative practices Educational focus define the preventative work

6 Assessment will include specific variables such as type and amount of drug found, frequency of use, other circumstances of student s life and use, consequences of the use. The tool will assess for other risk and protective factors in student s life. The committee has not yet reached a conclusion on whether the consequences for the violation will be cumulative over the course of one high school year or will be viewed on a year to year basis. Language needs to be written identifying the timeframe for allowing students to re-engage in their sport/activity once they participate in the identified restorative program. The Healthy Choices Committee meets next on Monday, April 18 from 4-6 at DHS. It is anticipated that a draft of the full document will be reviewed in this work session. Please feel free to join us if you have any interest in observing the process firsthand.