Swampscott working to update chemical health policy for high school students

SWAMPSCOTT – The School Committee is starting to revise its “chemical health policy” for students.Superintendent Lynne Celli said the current policy is geared toward athletes and one of the revisions would include students involved in any and all extra-curricular activities.”The current policy applies primarily to student athletes,” Celli said. “We’re working on a proposed chemical health policy for the entire student body. The new policy would be in effect 365 days a year.”The draft of the proposed policy, which is geared toward high school students, prohibits a student from possessing, buying, selling, consuming or giving away any beverage containing alcohol, any tobacco product, marijuana, steroids, any other controlled substance or “any substance that alters perception or behaviors reducing that individual’s ability to function appropriately at any time.”The policy makes an exception for controlled substances and steroids prescribed for a student with a documented medical condition with a note from a doctor.The proposed policy includes a provision that students, who are at a party where alcohol is present, but are not under the influence of alcohol, would be required to participate in and complete an approved drug/alcohol awareness program.The penalty for violations in the draft policy stipulates a student found to be in violation of the policy would be ineligible to participate in any and all extra-curricular activities for one year or until they have completed an approved drug/alcohol counseling program.Celli said if the policy is approved as written in the first draft, it would apply to students starting the first day of summer after the conclusion of eighth grade and remain in effect until the student graduates from high school.Celli said the draft is just a first reading and typically items go through several readings before being voted on.School Committee member Glenn Paster believes it is necessary to revise the existing policy.”These are changing times,” he said. “Policies need to change with the times. We want a policy in place that is appropriate.”