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| School district reacts to heroin reports |
By: MEGAN PROFT
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NORTHFIELD - Northfield School District officials said Friday that while drug use is an issue at the high school, recent reports about how many users there are have been exaggerated.
"Even if we have one student using - that's one too many," District Superintendent Dr. Chris Richardson said Friday. Still, he said, the police estimate of 150 to 250 individuals 15 to 23 years old using heroin or OxyContin is much different than the actual number of individuals the high school has treated for the problem.
A written statement about reports of heroin and drug use among students compiled by Richardson, along with NHS Principal Joel Leer, Assistant Principals Jeff Eckhoff and Marnie Thompson and Activities Director Tom Graupmann, was issued Friday .
Statement
"The administration and staff of the Northfield Public Schools and Northfield High School are very concerned about the information about heroin and (OxyContin) use that has been presented recently by the Northfield Police Department," the statement says. "While we are aware and very concerned about any drug use by some Northfield High School students, we are very troubled about what appears to be the lack of clarity in news conference information, the exaggerated presentation by the Star Tribune of the number of current high school students involved, and the inference that the school and school district have not taken a proactive stance in addressing drug abuse issues among our students."
According to the statement the school district was never consulted by the police department or Star Tribune.
"Our first concern is always for the safety of the students in our schools," the statement says. "To promote that environment, we have tried to address student drug abuse through consistent enforcement of drug-free behaviors by our students, support for students and families who find themselves involved in drug addiction, and prevention activities that promote connecting students to caring adults and classmates to promote an environment of belonging and drug free behavior."
The numbers
During the 2006-07 school year, approximately 30 students, or 2 percent of the high school student body, went through outpatient or inpatient drug treatment with support from school administrators and counselors. Half of those students were treated for heroin or OxyContin use.
Richardson said the treatment came about after students were referred to Sarah Shippy, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor from Omada Behavioral Health Services.
According to the statement, support programs have also been in place at Northfield High School for more than five years. There are also strict penalties for drug possession or use of illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco on campus. In 2006-07 these policies resulted in two high school students and four middle school students being suspended from school - two for possession of marijuana, one for possession of alcohol and three for tobacco.
Every current student who has been caught using or possessing illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco, whether at school or in the community, or any student who has been identified by the Student Support Team, has been required to see a support professional hired by the school district, the statement says.
Prevention
The statement also outlines several programs the school district currently has in place to help prevent drug use. It also says the school works with community and county agencies supporting drug prevention.
Examples used included:
• Active involvement and funding partnership in the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative.
• Partnership in the Rice County Family Services Collaborative and the Rice County Chemical Health Coalition working to prevent youth use of alcohol and other drugs. The Coalition has developed a comprehensive, research-based plan to address youth substance abuse in Rice County.
• Funding a contract with Shippy to spend more than a day a week in the schools providing drug abuse prevention information to high school health classes, meeting with students identified as having substance use issues, supporting students returning to school after treatment, and providing teacher training sessions.
• Administered annual surveys of youth substance use and risk/protective factors to youth in the middle and high school (Minnesota Student Survey every three years and HCI survey in off years).
• Active involvement in the Northfield Chemical Health Task Force.
• Supporting the Mayor's Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use - City Council-appointed positions; membership consists of local citizens, including 14 high school-age students, committed to reducing youth alcohol and drug use. This group works to raise community awareness around youth alcohol and drug use, examines existing policies and practices within the community around youth use, and develops and implements recommendations.
Richardson said anyone concerned about a student or any student seeking help for drug abuse can contact Eckhoff or Thompson on the high school Student Support Team at 663-0630 or the new middle school principal, Jeff Pesta, at 663-0650.
- Megan Proft can be reached at mproft@northfieldnews.com or 645-1100. |
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