A new policy was taken off the table and approved by the Polk County Board of Education during their June work session.

Board members voted unanimously to move forward with the new Polk School District policy that provides for random drug screening of students who want to participate in various aspects of campus life, like clubs, academic groups, athletics and those who want to get a parking pass for the Cedartown or Rockmart High School campuses.

The policy isn’t meant to punish students, Superintendent Laurie Atkins explained. Instead, the goal is to help those students who might be hiding their substance abuse problems.

It is Atkins’ hope that the policy will act as a deterrent since students who use drugs will face a choice: quit, or lose out on the opportunities that they have on campus through sports, clubs and the ability to drive on campus.

The policy has several steps in place to ensure that students get the counseling they need to overcome any drug dependency they might have, will get parents involved if a student is found to be using, and utilize the partnership the district has with Willowbrooke at Tanner for services.

Law enforcement – the Polk School District Police – will only get involved if a student is found actively using drugs on campus, is in possession of substances found on their person or vehicle, or if they are found selling to other students.

The vote to approve the policy was unanimous among the board.

It was the major piece of business for the school board during their first session back together in person following shutdowns of meetings and gatherings amid the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

School board members also voted to approve the surplus of a wheelchair lift previously installed for student use to get to the band and chorus rooms at Cedartown High School. The new rooms remain under construction and are hoped to be ready along with the rest of the new Fine Arts Wing at CHS for the start of the new school year, should there be no delays in construction or to students returning to campus in early August.

Also, an annual requirement to submit a plan to the state for the CTAE (College and Career Academy) programs for the 2021 fiscal year. The paperwork is already been sent to the state to allow for state and federal grant dollars to be applied for use in the coming academic year.

Board approval was needed as part of the filing process, College and Career Academy CEO and Assistant Superintendent Katie Thomas reported during the work session on June 2.

The school board is back in session on June 9 for their regular board meeting.