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Schools

Counseling Would Slash Student Suspension Time By Half at Lindbergh

Drug and alcohol violators now have option.

Lindbergh students now have the option to reduce their suspension for drug and alcohol violations by completing a counseling program.

The district's board of education unanimously approved the measure during the board's meeting on Tuesday night. A typical suspension for such a violation is 60 days, though, most students return to the classroom after completing between 66 and 75 percent of their punishment, according to Director of Curriculum and Student Activities Charles Triplett.

Triplett said the district averages 16 suspensions per year -- with 113 suspensions since 2004. The district tries to curb drug and alcohol violations through student curriculum along with D.A.R.E. and Character Education Programs, he added.

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"We work very hard to make students aware of the consequences of bad decisions, and encourage them to make healthy choices," he said.

A student facing 60 days suspension can choose to attend a two-hour counseling session with a guardian once a week for six weeks. By agreeing to complete the program, the student will have their suspension cut to 30 days.

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Triplett said it takes adults at least 30 days to break a habit and likely more time for adolescents to do so.

Board member Kathleen Kienstra said she supports the program wholeheartedly.

"The addition of counseling will be a great addition for students," Kienstra said. "I hope they take advantage of it."

District Superintendent Jim Simpson said he believed the proposal was a good compromise between the need for a strong punishment to deter violations and helping students make healthy decisions.

The proposal is one of the recommendations crafted from a committee of parents, students and administrators created last fall at the board's request to tackle the issue.

Other major recommendations from the committee include students facing the full term of their punishment should they decline or fail the counseling program, and a consistent prohibition from extracurricular activities during student suspensions.

Triplett said the district wants student to return to the classroom as soon as possible and the district's 60 day suspensions are "middle of the pack" in comparison to other districts.

"This program is a way to do more for kids," Triplett said.

The counseling program would be administered by Preferred Family Healthcare and funded through a state grant.

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