New school approved for addicted students

Friday, July 23, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

Clark County School Board members unanimously approved a new alternative school on Thursday night that is designed to help students recovering from drug or alcohol addictions stay on the wagon.

The goal of the program is to place recovering students in an environment where they won't be tempted by drugs or alcohol, said Edward Goldman, associate superintendent of alternative education services for the district.

"This is for students who have a drug problem already and really need that sober environment to stay clean," Goldman said.

All Clark County schools are supposed to be drug and alcohol free, Goldman said, but substance abuse continues to be a problem on campuses.

To deter drug use, students who chose to enter the Clean and Sober, Drug Free School of Choice will submit to random drug testing and will be enrolled in a 12-step program during the school day. Student must be off drugs and alcohol for a period of 30 to 45 days before enrolling to be accepted at the school, which will be located within the Peterson Center alternative high school.

Drug testing through urinalysis will be at the discretion of the principal and may be done at any time, Goldman said. If a student refused to submit to a drug test or is found to have drugs or alcohol in his or her system, that student can be immediately dismissed from the school.

The program will partner with other organizations, such as WestCare, to develop counseling for the students, Goldman said. He said they will also likely work with juvenile justice services to offer the program to students, but that enrollment must be voluntary for the school to work.

"The whole thing falls apart if it's not voluntary," Goldman said.

The alternative school is based on a similar program in Los Angeles, and is one of only 40 in the country, Goldman said. He expects it to serve about 80 students at a cost of $15,000 each.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia said he was really excited about the program, as he has seen the need for it through his work as a board member for WestCare.

"I think it's long overdue."