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Steroid Testing /
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HASB passes drug/steroid testing policy
HASB passes drug/steroid testing policy
July 4, 2007
The Hazleton Area School Board adopted a policy that will subject high school students who are involved in extracurricular activities to random drug and anabolic steriod screenings.
The policy, adopted 8-0 last week, becomes effective in 2007-08 and requires students and their parents or guardians to sign contracts verifying that the student will take part in random screening procedures.
The school board followed through on talks that surfaced last September, when Director Carmella Yenkevich asked officials to consider expanding the existing drug and alcohol policies to include an anabolic steroids component.
Athletics Director Chris Perry has since been working on a revised "Extracurricular Activities and Drug and Alcohol Policy," which he turned over to the school board Athletics Committee for review about two weeks ago.
Board approval puts the HASD on track with two other District 2 schools – Dallas School District and Delaware Valley School District, Perry said.
Geisinger Medical Laboratories will conduct HASD’s testing procedures, Superintendent Frank Victor said.
Costs depend largely on the number of students selected for screenings. The entire process should cost the district around $4,000 annually, he noted.
"I think it’s good," Victor said of the policy. "It’s pretty comprehensive and there’s screenings for all clubs and activities. There will not be any involvement of any district people in it other than monitoring."
The five-page policy prohibits students from using, possessing, transporting, soliciting or selling illegal or non-prescribed, controlled drugs or alcohol at schools or coach-initiated activities.
Also prohibited by the policy is misuse of over-the-counter or prescription drugs.
A random drug and anabolic steroids component states that the screening process will test for cannabinoids, cocaine metabolites, amphetamines/methamphetamines, opiates, benzodiazepines and 24 anabolic steriods.
An independent company will provide a "chain of custody system" for collecting and analyzing samples to ensure the process is handled legally and confidentially, the policy reads.
Positive results are confirmed before the independent firm submits results to the supervisor of school health, with copies forwarded to the principal within 24 hours of screenings, the policy reads.
Confirmation of positive tests will follow within 48 hours of the initial screening, the policy reads.
Results of the anabolic steroid panel will be available within five to seven days from receipt of the sample.
Students who test positive will meet with a building principal, athletic director and parents/guardians. Those who fail to comply with the policy will be immediately suspended from athletic teams, the policy reads.
Testing will be conducted on at least three occasions each year, Perry said.
"If you don’t give permission to do this, you can’t play," Perry said, adding that he views the policy as more of a deterrent.
Under the policy, the district also reserves the right to search for drugs and alcohol on district property or screen students "when reasonable suspicion exists."
If a case involves reasonable suspicion, the student and his or her parents will meet with a district representative at a licensed testing facility, where the student could be subjected to either a blood, urine or breath test.
Students who are taking medication with potential mood altering or prescription/coordination altering effects must provide the school nurse a copy of the prescription, the policy reads.
Penalties for students found under the influence of alcohol or other non-prescribed drugs include immediate suspension from a team and a subsequent drug and alcohol evaluation conducted by a state-licensed facility.
The student and parents must then sign to release forms for review by either the athletic director or school nurse.
Students would be expected to comply with terms or recommendations included in the evaluation and could return to a team or club upon receipt of a letter of release from the evaluating facility.
If a student tests positive but complies with remedies listed in the policy, they would be subjected to a re-test before the start of any other extracurricular season.
If a student tests positive following or during treatment, they would be immediately dismissed from the team or club. Reinstatement hinges on completion of treatment, compliance of recommended aftercare and a meeting involving the student, parents, the coach/advisor and the administration.
Victor dismissed criticism regarding the program, saying he has been approached with concerns for spending money on screenings and finding no positive test results.
"It’s like buying car insurance," he said. "You don’t want to get into an accident just so you can use it. I hope every test we do comes back negative."
Red, white and blue fireworks illuminated the night sky over Harman-Geist Stadium Tuesday evening in celebration of the Fourth of July and Hazleton’s 150th anniversary.
Thousands of people – including families and friends – gathered together on the eve of July 4 to watch the 20-minute summer spectacle.
"They were delightful," said Daniel Blum of Lansford after watching the fireworks with his three children. "I thought the best part was when they started the fireworks in the middle of the national anthem."
Cars lined the streets surrounding the stadium while spectators watched the fireworks burst one by one into the unusually cool summer night sky. While the fireworks were being launched, various musical selections from John Phillips Sousa echoed throughout the stadium.
Blum said he hadn’t been to Hazleton’s fireworks in a few years, but that the show "gets better" every time he comes to watch.
George Pindar of Hazleton said he catches the fireworks every year and enjoys the atmosphere.
"All the activity, all of the people and the friends – it’s a good night," said Pindar while eating butter pecan ice cream inside the stadium with his wife, Dorothy.
Jesse Grobelny, coordinator of the fireworks display, said he was excited to get the festivities underway after workers prepared for the show Monday night and all day Tuesday.
"[The event] is a lot of work and it’s nice to see everything come together," Grobelny said before people started filtering into the stadium. "But it’s also nice when it’s done because it can be stressful."
Grobelny, 25, said about 4,000 people watched the fireworks from the stadium with about 30,000 catching the event from their backyards or other spots in town.
He added that this year’s show costs about $10,000.
Just before the elaborate fireworks display, children paraded on the football field waiving American flags singing songs like "Yankee Doodle Dandee" and "America the Beautiful" with local entertainer Tony Angelo.
As part of the seventh annual "Hold Your Flag High" program, the first 5,000 children were given miniature flags upon entering the stadium. The flags, copies of Betsy Ross’s original Stars and Stripes, were donated by Hazleton’s recreation department.
The fireworks weren’t launched until after dusk, but the festivities kicked off at 6 p.m. with live music, food and refreshments.
"I’ll be back next year," Blum said. "Definitely."
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