WHS amends drug policy

HAMPTON - Since the beginning of the school year, 10 students have
been suspended after being caught under the influence of either drugs
or alcohol.

Winnacunnet High School's drug and alcohol policy mandated the
students receive an automatic 10-day suspension.

"What we really want to do is help them, not suspend them," said
Principal Randy Zito.

This is one of the reasons Zito presented the Winnacunnet Cooperative
School Board with a few amendments to the current policy. The board
approved them Tuesday night.

Under the amended policy, first-time offenders who are caught with
drugs or alcohol at the school still receive an automatic 10-day suspension.

But now students can buy back five of those days if they agree to
take part in the Student Assistance Program, which offers drug and
alcohol counseling at no charge.

The program, in its fifth year at the high school, is a partnership
between the school and Seacoast Youth Services, run by Vic Maloney.

As part of the program, school social worker Talley Westerberg said
the student must have an initial meeting with her and Seacoast Youth Services.

He or she must also participate in the Seacoast Youth Services Drug
and Alcohol Education group.

Westerberg said the change in policy is to help students who may have
just made a mistake and need help.

Zito said students who fail to participate in the program within 30
days will be forced to serve the remainder of their 10-day suspension.

Another amendment to the policy states that students who have
multiple chemical infractions must not only serve their entire
suspension but are required to participate in the program.

Winnacunnet board Chairwoman Susan Kepner said while the school has
always offered drug and alcohol counseling, it was never a part of the policy.

Zito said he realized the policy needed to be updated when one of his
assistant principals asked him if a first-time offender had to be
suspended for the full 10 days.

When he was assistant principal, Zito said, the school always offered
students a chance to buy back suspension days, but that policy must
have been eliminated after he left the school in 1993.