The administration shall have the authority to require any student to submit to a chemical test if
the administration has reasonable suspicion to believe the student is using or under the influence
of alcohol and/or drugs.
Reasonable suspicion may arise from but is not limited to the following:
1. A student’s physical appearance, odor, and/or behavior indicate the use of drugs
and/or alcohol.
a. unusual drowsiness and/or sleepiness;
b. alcohol or chemical odors on clothes or breath;
c. slurred, incoherent speech;
d. difficulty in comprehending conversation and/or being confused;
e. change in speech or difficulty in expressing him/herself;
f. disorientation and/or difficulty in concentrating;
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g. use of eye drops or sunglasses to hide redness of eyes;
h. frequent nosebleeds and/or constant redness of nasal membranes;
i. unusual swings in emotion or inappropriate behavior for the situation;
j. hyperactivity or euphoria;
k. unusually aggressive behavior;
l. lack of manual dexterity;
m. lack of coordination;
n. inability to stand relatively motionless, without leaning;
o. unexplained excessive absenteeism or tardiness;
p. unusual accident or injury; and
q. unusually rapid and marked increase in weight and/or strength.
2. Possession of drugs and/or alcohol.
3. Credible information communicated to an administrator by a teacher, parent or other
adult, or student indicating that a student is using, possessing, or under the influence
of drugs and/or alcohol.
4. Violation of the Closed Campus Policy.
If the school administration determines that a student has violated any or all of parts of
Section IV, Subsection E, Numbers 1-4 of this document, the parent or guardian (henceforth
will be referred to as parent) of the student under suspicion will be contacted and asked
to immediately attend a meeting with the principal and/or his/her designee (henceforth will
be referred to as the principal). The parent will be informed of the evidence related to the
facts connected to the reasonable suspicion and will be given an opportunity to respond to
the facts and evidence presented. The principal will ask the parent to sign a release form
to allow school personnel and/or a service provider to administer a breathalyzer test, an
oral mouth swab test, and/or a urine test. A refusal of the parent to sign the release form
will be viewed the same as a positive drug and/or alcohol result. The cost of the test(s) will
be borne by the Valparaiso Community Schools. The principal will notify the parents of the
test results within a reasonable time frame.
If a student tests positive, disciplinary action will be taken as outlined in the student handbook.
A student’s refusal to submit to the test is considered a “positive” result and
will require appropriate disciplinary action.
V. Voluntary Referrals
If a student or the student’s parent voluntarily refers the student to a school official (substance abuse
coordinator, guidance counselor, the student’s coach, extra curricular sponsor, teacher, director of
athletics, or administrator) for a substance abuse problem and the self referral or parent referral
occurs prior to any legal involvement and/or any school-initiated investigation, the student behavior
penalty, the extracurricular penalty, and the athletic penalty will be waived during the time the student
is enrolled and participating in the student substance abuse plan agreed to with the substance abuse
coordinator and approved by the principal.
A voluntary self-referral by a student and/or a voluntary referral made by a parent seeking assistance
for substance abuse problems concerning their child will be confidential. Anonymity will be maintained,
except for those professionals who will be working with students in the Valparaiso Substance Abuse
Plan who will be informed on a need to know basis. In the case of a voluntary self referral by a
student, the parent of the student must be notified.
A student who participates in the plan will be required to submit to unannounced drug testing, as
outlined in Section IV, Subsection E of this document, to determine if the student has stopped
abusing substances. Drug tests shall be arranged by the substance abuse coordinator who is also
charged with monitoring the results of the tests and reporting the results to the principal. Should a
drug test show positive for substance abuse, the student and the parent would be required to meet
with the substance abuse coordinator and the principal to discuss methods to more effectively meet
the student’s needs. The student and parent would be encouraged to participate in a more restrictive
substance abuse plan recommended by the substance abuse coordinator and approved by
the principal.
Full text:
http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/assets/pdf/08vhshandbook.pdf