Students subject to one more test Belvidere district implementing drug, alcohol testing. Sunday, January 20, 2008 • By SARA K. SATULLO • The Express-Times BELVIDERE | The Belvidere School District is joining area schools in adopting a random drug- and alcohol-testing policy for some students. The program requires high school athletes, club members and students who park on campus to be eligible for testing. "We want to get the kids help," Superintendent Dirk Swaneveld said Wednesday. "Better yet, we'd like to deter them." The school board approved the policy recently, and now the administration is ironing out costs and implementation, which Swaneveld wants the student government to weigh in on. Out of the roughly 560-student population, Swaneveld estimates 70 percent are now subject to testing. At least 35 kids will be tested each school year, according to board policy. Since he became superintendent in 2006, Swaneveld has wanted to implement a random testing policy to supplement the code of conduct. He waited so other districts worked out the kinks first but, he said, it's been a priority. "It seems there's been a pattern of kids getting hurt and killed on the road," Swaneveld said of his 25 years in education. "We want to do our part." A positive test result will not be reported to police or lead to suspension or expulsions. The program is meant to provide students with counseling and other resources, school board President Brian Smith said. Although, a positive test could result in being removed from an activity, Swaneveld said. Belvidere's program has been modeled on policies at Hackettstown and Warren Hills Regional school districts' policies. In Hackettstown's four years of random testing, only one student has tested positive, Superintendent Bob Gratz said. Until a recent change in state random testing rules, both middle and high school students were eligible for testing. In his three years with the roughly 900 to 960 student district, Gratz has only heard two complaints about the policy. "We hear from students they find this is a good reason to say no. It helps them address those peer-pressure issues," Gratz said. "They know they have a responsibility to that coach and the team. If they violate it, they are not only hurting themselves." Both superintendents emphasized the testing is just one tool to help students make good decisions. There is also a code of conduct and health curriculum. Reporter Sara K. Satullo can be reached at 908-475-2174 or by e-mail at ssatullo@express-times.com.