| 1. |
Context
St John’s College aspires in the service of God to:
- Be a home of religious discipline – meaning fair and just parameters and consequences, tempered with compassion.
- Be a home of sound learning – St John’s must be benchmarked against the best in the country (and the world) in the academic arena.
- Be a home of goodwill – involvement in charity, good works and service must be the sign of a Johannian.
Pupils leaving the College must be:
- Rightly trained in body – sport and all aspects of healthy living must form part of the curriculum.
- Rightly trained in mind – apart from the academic, where creativity, enquiry, and self learning is emphasised, pupils should be exposed to as many varied activities as possible which develop the mind and promote meaningful experience.
- Rightly trained in character – pupils must be extended continually and challenged to expand and grow, by a demanding, professional, and encouraging staff who have a passionate belief in the potential of every pupil.
- Rightly trained to serve God well – pupils must be equipped for a changing and ever more challenging world.
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| 2. |
Introduction : A Partnership Against Substance Abuse |
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| 2.1 |
The problems associated with what has become the free availability of drugs and alcohol in society permeate all sectors of our community. Drug experimentation and abuse, and the abuse of alcohol, poses a threat not only to our own well being, but to the community as a whole. Drugs and alcohol abuse, therefore, have the potential to undermine the ethos and achievements of our community and the cognitive capability of individuals within it. Notions of “soft drugs” and “safe drugging”, although common, are misconceptions, and these forms of drug taking are often the start of full-scale abuse. Additionally, these practices are illegal. |
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| 2.2 |
Studies on drug usage in the country point to an increase in drug abuse across all communities, irrespective of wealth, although usage rates and drugs of choice vary between communities, based on access and cost. Available evidence indicates that school communities are particularly vulnerable and drug use by learners is on the increase in both rural and urban schools, including primary schools. These reports also indicate a high correlation between drug abuse and other anti-social and high-risk behaviour typical of countercultures such as violence, sexual violence, gangsterism and theft. |
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| 2.3 |
In the context of St John’s College, a purely punitive approach to drug abuse runs contrary to our Christian ethos and Pastoral Care programme. Our approach to drug abuse is primarily focused on the provision of a supportive environment to learners in terms of education against experimentation, deterrent from experimentation, and support in the event of drug use. Only after exhaustive efforts at rehabilitation will the options of suspension or expulsion be considered. |
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| 2.4 |
This policy is intended to comply with the spirit of the National Education Departments Draft Policy Framework for the Management of Drug Abuse by Learners in Schools of 2002. |
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| 3. |
Education, Counselling, and Support. |
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| 3.1 |
Under the auspices of the Counselling and Guidance departments, a life skills programme is in place that teaches (amongst others) the dangers of drugs, self image issues, peer group issues, and other topics which pro-actively discourage substance experimentation and abuse. |
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| 3.2 |
The school counsellor and/or psychologist may confidentially assist boys who voluntarily come forward for assistance. A rehabilitation contract may be entered into. At all times individual confidentiality will be respected in terms of the policy regarding confidentiality stated below. Learners who voluntarily enter into a rehabilitation contract will not penalized in any way. |
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| 3.3 |
Where a learner has been tested for drugs and has tested positive (see below), or has voluntarily entered into a rehabilitation contract, he is referred for professional drugs counselling by Aspen Oaks Associates. In addition to this counselling, the school psychologist will assist and support the boy in his handling of the ‘whole picture’. The school psychologist is available to support and advise parents of boys who are or may be involved in substance abuse. |
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| 4. |
Screening
A drug screening programme runs concurrently with the support programme. The programme is overseen and administered by the Senior Master: Student Affairs.
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| 4.1 |
The purpose of drug screening is: |
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| 4.1.1 |
To Provide learners with a counter argument to peer group influences which tend to pressurize learners into drug experimentation. |
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| 4.1.2 |
To identify drug users at an early stage. |
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| 4.2 |
There are no punitive consequences to the drug screening programme. |
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| 4.3 |
No learner will be routinely screened unless his parents have given permission in writing. |
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| 4.4 |
Samples are analysed anonymously (by number) at the school Sanatorium by the Sister on Duty using standard test kits. |
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| 4.5 |
In the event of a positive result: |
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| 4.5.1 |
Strict confidentiality is maintained. The school psychologist and the boy’s Housemaster are informed. The school psychologist will inform the boy and his parents. The school psychologist will refer the family to Aspen Oakes Associates for professional counselling. |
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| 4.5.2 |
The learner may be re-tested periodically to confirm successful rehabilitation. |
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| 5. |
Confidentiality |
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| 5.1 |
All information received during counselling, support, or as a result of the screening process is confidential. It does not form part of the learner’s school record and is not shared with educators, tutors, Housemasters other than the learner’s own, or in references. |
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| 5.2 |
Information received during counselling, support, or as a result of the screening process shall not be used in the selection into leadership positions, or any other such selection process. |
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| 5.3 |
Information received during counselling, support, or as a result of the screening process shall not be used in any disciplinary process. |
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| 6. |
Exclusion |
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| 6.1 |
If, in the opinion of the Senior Master: Student Affairs the learner has repeatedly not made use of the help offered to him, the Senior Master may ask the Headmaster to consider suspension or expulsion of the learner. |
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| 6.2 |
Any learner in possession of an illicit drug on school property, or who sells or purchases an illegal drug at school or to/from a learner from the school is guilty of a breach of the school’s code of conduct and Headmaster’s Regulations. Such a learner would be referred to the Disciplinary Council. |
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