Procedures

Administrative Procedure 356: Prohibited Substances

Palliser School Division is committed to promoting the health and well-being of staff, students, parents, visitors and community members. A substance-free environment promotes a safe and caring learning environment that focuses on pedagogy and benefits everyone. For community use of schools please refer to AP – 544 Community Use of School Facilities.

Purpose

Palliser School Division prohibits the possession and use of substances that are harmful or have the potential to alter an individual’s physiological or psychological state including, but not limited to, the following prohibited substance:

Alcohol;
Illegal drugs and associated paraphernalia;
Smoking materials may include but are not limited to: cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, vapes, hookah, shisha, and cannabis;
Consumable products may include but are not limited to: chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, dissolvable tobacco, cannabis edibles;
Misuse of prescription and non-prescription drugs;
Any other substances deemed inappropriate by supervisors/site managers.

For the purposes of this administrative procedure, the above definitions together constitute “prohibited substances”. Persons under the influence of the above substances are prohibited from being on school buses, school property or participating in authorized student activities. Further to the above, “school property” is defined to include the geographic and physical spaces operated by Palliser School Division and extends to properties off-campus where school-sponsored activities occur, including arenas, recreation areas, and overnight accommodations utilized during any off-campus excursions.

Procedures

Instruction on the dangers associated with substance use/misuse as described above shall be provided to every student, appropriate to the grade level.
Use or possession of prohibited substances on school property or at authorized student activities shall be referred to the Principal who may recommend police involvement.
Acting on behalf of the parent, the following actions will initially be taken:
1. A school staff member will respond to the student’s immediate safety and medical needs.
2. Any alcohol or other drugs involved will be confiscated, secured, and properly managed until they can be disposed of or turned over to the police.
3. Parents/guardians will be contacted and informed of the situation.
4. If appropriate, parents/guardians will be asked to pick their child up from school. If unavailable, a school staff member may phone an emergency contact or Children’s Services.
The school administrator will implement Administrative Procedure 353 - Student Investigations and/or AP 357 Student Search Procedures. School staff shall cooperate with law enforcement agencies in matters related to the possession and/or trafficking of controlled substances on school property or at authorized student activities.
Students who are found, through investigation, to have contravened this administrative procedure will be subject to disciplinary action, including possible suspension and expulsion.
The student may be referred to an alcohol and drug awareness program as available through local resources such as Addictions and Mental Health.
The school administrator will make a determination, based on the facts of the incident and restrictions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as to whether a communication release needs to be sent to parents of a specific class or group of students within the school community.
School administrators are authorized to confiscate any prohibited substance and associated paraphernalia from persons who are in contravention of this administrative procedure governing the use of these on school property.
The safety of staff and students is of utmost importance, substances that are potentially lethal should be confiscated by authorities with the specialized training and equipment to do so.

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References

Cross Reference

Updated: March 30, 2021