A California school district’s board members approved a substance abuse prevention program and installed more fencing at a middle school to improve student safety.
The Selma Unified School District, which consists of seven elementary schools, one middle school and one high school, approved the measures at a meeting June 30.
The substance abuse prevention program features a ‘Reality Tour’ that explains the ramifications of drug abuse through photos, videos, skits and presentations by police and recovering addicts. It is a voluntary Saturday program for students and parents primarily aimed at kids aged 10 through 17.
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A new company, Interquest Detection Canines, will also bring drug sniffing dogs into schools for 20 unannounced inspections over the course of the next school year. The dogs can detect drugs, alcohol and discharged weaponry but will not sniff individual students, according to hanfordsentinel.com. Previously the Selma Police Department had conducted the searches.
The board also voted on June 30 to review fencing options at the middle school to improve campus security. The cost of the fence construction is estimated at up to $212,955. The middle school principal called the areas “blind spots.”
