Buller Highlights New Drug and Alcohol Education Plans for High School

is updating its drug and alcohol education efforts this fall.

New outlined her plan to bring the Lorain County Alcohol & Drug Agency into the school's efforts to provide education and outreach at Tuesday's meeting at .

The agency's education program brings a drug and alcohol counselor into classrooms for 15 sessions, and brings one into the school to engage students. 

Buller and superintendent Jim Reitenbach consulted with school officials in , which has had the program in its school the past few years, and reported that district was very satisfied. Avon Lake also has the counselor be at the for parents to consult, Buller said, providing a more confidential atmosphere.

"This is a research-based education program," she said. The program costs about $7,500 for the semester, and Buller said the district could get some of that refunded if federal funding comes through.

Buller said she plans to shift drug and alcohol education from 10th grade to ninth.

Ninth grade is the critical year, she said, as 30 percent of students will experiment with drugs and/or alcohol that year. And by senior year, 70 percent will have experimented.

This year, both ninth and tenth graders would participate. Next year, the program would shift to entirely ninth grade.

The program does not provide therapy, Buller said, but gives students and their family access to LCADA resources and other service agencies.

"We can't save all kids from drugs and alcohol," she said. "But it will always be our goal."

In other news from Tueday's meeting:

• Kevin Romanchok was chosen by a unanimous vote to serve as president for the remainder of the term, replacing Susan Harrison, who . Scott Radcliffe was unanimously chosen to replace Romanchok as vice-president.
• Heather Mahoney, who was as a board member, was sworn in at the meeting. She will run for the seat in .