Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
The Kimball Board of Education heard a report from High School principal Eugene Hanks regarding random drug testing for any student participating in Nebraska School Activity Association activities.
“This isn’t a ‘gotcha’ thing, it is something to give them another reason to say no,” Hanks said. “It could be non-extracurricular, if their parents choose to sign the form, they would be in the pool. In order to participate in extracurricular activities, though, the student would need a signed form.”
Activities include all sports, vocal and instrumental music, Quiz Bowl and anything that is included in conference activities. Hanks estimates that 80 – 90 percent of the local high school students participate in at least one NSAA activity.
Students can be added to the random testing pool at any time they choose to participate in an activity or parents can sign the form at the beginning of the year.
Several options for random testing were discussed. The first would be to use Western Pathology Consultants Inc. (WPCI), a drug-testing company based in Scottsbluff.
“They do all the drug testing in this area, businesses and schools,” Hanks said. “They would do everything for us. They would drive down and conduct the tests.”
The total estimated cost, according to Hanks, for four collections, including mileage, time, the cost of the testing kits, lab verification and a Medical Review Officer (MRO) if needed, would be about $220.
“They (WPCI) do all the valley schools already, they do everything,” Hanks said. “But Potter-Dix gets the kits from (WPCI) and then goes through Kimball Health Services.”
The cost using that method would be a box of 25 kits from WPCI for $468.75 and a charge of $44.10 at Kimball Health Services.
“There is additional costs for lab work and an MRO if we needed one,” Hanks said. “Four samples, going that way and keeping it local would be $250 each time we did it. These are all estimates.”
“I was looking at testing four students, twice a month,” Hanks said. “One good thing if we did use Kimball Health Services is that all we would have to do is transport the students there. Otherwise we might have to put some extra work into our locker rooms or restrooms. You have to have a secure bathroom.”
The district conducted the first reading for this new policy during the June 12 meeting with a second public meeting and second reading planned for a later date.
