Series 4000: PERSONNEL -- CERTIFIED & NON-CERTIFIED

4118.231 Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco

Employee Substance Abuse

The Thomaston Board of Education recognizes that both students and employees should be drugfree so that the most effective learning experiences may take place. This policy is an integral part of the Thomaston Public Schools Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Prevention Program and represents one component of a district-wide effort to respond effectively to drug, mood altering substance and alcohol related activities that may occur at school or at school sponsored activities.

Any Thomaston Board of Education student or employee is in violation of this policy if on a school bus, school grounds during a school session, or anywhere at a school sponsored activity such individual is under the influence of alcohol, drugs or mood-altering substances or unlawfully manufactures, possesses, uses, dispenses, distributes, sells or aids in the procurement of alcohol, narcotics, restricted drugs, mood-altering substance or any substances purported to be a restricted substance or drug paraphernalia. Such student or employee shall be subjected to discipline up to and including expulsion or termination, referral for prosecution, and intervention pursuant to the provisions and procedures outlined in the administration regulation. Copies of these standards of conduct and sanctions shall be provided to all students, parents and employees.

Drug and alcohol awareness, education and prevention programs for students and employees shall be adopted and maintained teaching that the use of illicit drugs and the unlawful possession and use of alcohol is wrong and harmful. The employee program shall include information about the dangers of drug abuse in the work place, the availability of any drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations occurring in the work place.

Counseling and rehabilitation programs will be provided to employees as described in administrative regulation.

As a condition of employment, employees shall abide by the terms of this policy and shall notify the Board of Education of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the work place within five days of the conviction. The Federal Agency(ies) which grant(s) funds to the Board of Education will be notified of the conviction within ten days, and appropriate personnel action will be taken against the employee within thirty days as set forth in the administrative regulation.

The Board reserves the right to use any extraordinary measures deemed necessary to control substance abuse even if the same is not provided for specifically in any rule or regulation enumerated herein.

The Board will review its program biennially to determine its effectiveness, to implement changes to the program if they are needed, and to ensure that the sanctions set forth in the Administrative Regulations are consistently enforced.

Smoking

In accordance with the state law, smoking of any kind including the use of electronic cigarettes, is prohibited while school is in session or student activities are taking place.

Legal Reference: Drug-Free Workplace Act. 102 Stat 4305-4308.

Drug-Free Schools and Community Act, P.L. 99-570, as amended by P.L. 101-226 (199).

21 U.S.C. 812, Controlled Substances Act, I through V, 202.

21 C.F.R. 1300.11 through 1300.15 regulation.

54 Fed. Reg. 4946 (1989).

Connecticut General Statutes

1-21b Smoking prohibited in certain places.

Policy adopted: April 11, 2016 THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Thomaston, Connecticut

Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco Prevention Program

As an integral part of the Thomaston Public Schools Alcohol, Drug, and Tobacco Prevention Program, these regulations represent one component of a district-wide effort to respond effectively to drug, mood-altering substance and alcohol-related situations that may occur at school or at school sponsored activities. These procedures are intended to provide a consistent disciplinary means to respond to drug, mood-altering substance and alcohol related incidents. The Thomaston Public Schools will provide a safe and healthy environment for employees with due consideration for their legal rights and responsibilities.

Disciplinary Action Regarding Employees

I. Definitions:

A. Cooperative Behavior -- shall be defined as the willingness of an employee to work with appropriate      personnel in a reasonable and helpful manner, complying with requests and recommendations made  by that personnel.

B. Uncooperative Behavior -- shall be defined as resistance or refusal, either verbal, physical, or passive, on the part of the employee to comply with the reasonable requests or recommendations of administrative personnel. Defiance, assault, deceit, and flight shall constitute examples of uncooperative behavior. Uncooperative behavior shall also include the refusal to comply with the recommendations of the employee assistance program.

 C. Conviction -- “Conviction” means a finding of guilt (including plea of nolo contendere) or imposition of sentence, or both, by an judicial body charges with the responsibility to determine the violation of the Federal and State (including the District of Columbia) criminal drug statutes.

 D. Reasonable Suspicion -- Any of the following, alone or in combination, may constitute “reasonable       suspicion”:

1. Odor:

Smell of alcohol or marijuana evident on the individual’s breath or around the person.

2. Speech:

“Thick” speech or speech which is abnormally slow, slurred, incoherent, disfigured in any way.

3. Appearance:

Glassy or bloodshot eyes, flushed or red face.

4. Movement:

Uncoordinated or clumsy movement. Person may wave or stagger, move in a slow or deliberate manner or be wobbly and unsteady on her/his feet.

5. Manner:

Boisterous, loud, profane, or belligerent behavior; or unusually quiet, lethargic behavior -- in any event, an affect different from the individual’s manner.

In addition to the physical symptoms described above, other indications of drug or alcohol problems may appear before an employee is discovered to be impaired on the job. These include such thing as:

1. Increased Absenteeism

2. Substandard work performance, including an increase in the number of errors or low productivity.

3. Increase in disciplinary incidents.

4. Deteriorating work relationships with other employees, students, or supervisors.

5. General unhappiness.

6. Increased inattentiveness and absentmindedness.

7. Increased hostility toward students and/or staff.

8. Frequent need for work breaks.

9. Behavior which is so unusual that it warrants summoning a department head or supervisor for assistance.

10. Information obtained from a reliable person with personal knowledge.

II Procedures:

A. If any school employee is suspected of manufacturing, possession, using, dispensing, distributing, or selling an illicit drug, the following will occur:

1. The police will be notified.

2. The appropriate administrator or her/his designee will investigate the allegations. The administrator or her/his designee may suspend the employee with or without pay during such investigation.

3. If the employee is convicted or if the investigation established that such misconduct occurred, termination of employment will result.

B. If an employee is suspected of dispensing or selling alcohol on school property, the following will occur:

1. The police will be notified.

2. The appropriate administrator or her/his designee will investigate the allegations. The administrator or her/his designee may suspend the employee with or without pay during investigation.

3. If the employee is convicted or if the investigation establishes that such misconduct occurred, termination of employment will result.

C. If an employee possesses or uses or is under the influence of illicit drugs and/or alcohol on school property or at school functions, the following will occur:

1. If currently under the influence, the employee will be sent home without pay.

2. If an employee recognizes her/his problem and demonstrates cooperative behavior, appropriate progressive disciplinary action will be taken. Such discipline may include:

a. Oral counseling by the appropriate administrator.

b. Recommendation of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

c. Letter of reprimand.

d. Suspension.

e. Termination.

3. If the person refuses to recognize the problem or demonstrates uncooperative behavior, appropriate  progressive disciplinary action will be taken. Such discipline may include:

a. A letter of reprimand.

b. Suspension.

c. Termination.

Legal Reference: Drug-Free Workplace Act. 102 Stat. 4305-4308.

Drug-Free Schools and Community Act, P.L. 99-570, as amended by P.L. 101-226  (199).

21 U.S.C. 812, Controlled Substances Act, I through V, 202. 21 C.F.R. 1300.11 through 300.15 regulation.

54 Fed. Reg. 4946 (1989)

Connecticut General Statutes

1-21b Smoking prohibited in certain places.

Regulation approved: April 11, 2016 THOMASTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Thomaston, Connecticut