SOUTH PORTLAND HIGH SCHOOL 637 Highland Avenue South Portland, ME 04106 207-767-3266 Ryan Caron, Principal Kim Bennett, Assistant Principal jason Tarr, Assistant Principal Haddii aad baahan tahay caawimaad Ia turjumaad ah ee dukumentigan, fadlan la xidhiidh Taageerada Barasho 99 871-0555. ogra?isotciaganng? assistance mammals ?neness? aga? mission wisp: nnfs?i are"! 871-0555H Si usted necesita ayuda con la traduccion de este documento por favor comuniquese con el Soporte de nstrucci6n al 871-0555 lb] 3J6 Haley Haeldura ?54: 3.554;: aha 3341.3ng 1? d1ng JIFJIJI panlg 871-0555. Si vous ave-z besoin d'aide avec la traduction de ce document se iI vous plait contacter Ie support p?dagogique au 871-0555. September 9, 2016 Dear Families and Students, Over the past several years, staff and students have worked together to improve the climate at dances, with some positive results. Unfortunately, at the same time we have witnessed an increase in substance use incidents around school dances. Students driving to or from a dance while under the influence of substances or being at a school event under the in?uence poses unacceptable risks for all. In reviewing incidents at the high school involving substance use for the last three school years about 40% of all alcohol incidents and 80% of ?other drug related? incidents occurred at dances. After careful consideration, due to concern for student safety as it pertains to school dances, the administration has decided to reduce the number of dances at the high school level to two for the 2016-2017 school year: Homecoming and Senior Prom. Prior to the dances taking place this year, school administrators and staff, including our School Resource Officer, will structure ways to provide additional education and awareness about substance use prevention to our students. School administrators will monitor the substance use incidents at school dances and will use that data in making decisions about future school dances at South Portland High School. Student safety is our primary concern. We do recognize that school dances are utilized to raise money for prom. We will work with class officers and advisers to find alternative fund raising events. At South Portland High School we are actively working to confront the issue of substance use and abuse. Together with a coalition including the school department, police department, other city staff and community organizations, we have just been awarded a five?year Drug Free Communities grant from the federal Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which focuses on reducing the use of substances among our youth. We are committed to and are taking steps to openly communicate with our school community (students, families, staff, and community) about substance issues that our students are facing as well as the short and long term social, health, safety and legal consequences of those issues. For example, at the start of our Fall Sports season this year, school administrators and a school social worker have met with all teams to discuss substance use as well as the school and athletic consequences of substance use. At South Portland High School we look forward to working with students, parents and community to have safe, successful and substance free Homecoming and Senior Prom dances and to continue to work together to confront the challenge of substance use and abuse by students. Sincerely Ryan Cayn, Kimberlee Bennett, Tarr, SPHS Administrators at" Ken Kunin, Superintenent of Schools 2; Alfred Giusto, School Resource Officer W5 Edward Goog' s, ICC Chief, South Portland Police Department