EFFECTIVE DATE: October 2018 (adapted from FISA)
Purpose of this Policy
Delta Christian School is committed to the health and safety of its students and anyone attending at the School. The School recognizes that the use of drugs, tobacco, vapour products, alcohol, certain medications, and impairment generally can have serious effects on students and the learning environment. Accordingly, the School is committed to preventing substance use and impairment on School property, and at all times during school hours.
Scope of this Policy
This Policy applies to all students of the School.
The Policy
The School strictly prohibits students from possessing, manufacturing, offering for sale, selling, distributing, consuming, or using drugs, tobacco, vapour products, or alcohol during school hours, whether on or off School property.
Students breaching this policy may be subject to discipline in accordance with the School’s Code of Conduct.
Special Situations
Medication
Where a student is required to use medication (including but not limited to medical cannabis) pursuant to a valid prescription and in accordance with a physician’s directions, at a time, whether on or off of School property, that could cause them to be impaired during school hours, the student or their parent/guardian is required to adhere to the following:
- the student or their parent/guardian must notify a School Administrator, prior to the student using the medication and attending school impaired, or using the medication at school, to permit a determination of whether the use of that medication can be accommodated; and
- the student or their parent/guardian must provide medical confirmation authorizing the student’s use of the medication in order for the School to consider a request for accommodation. Any medical license or prescription relied on for the use of medical cannabis must be issued in accordance with the applicable statutory requirements.
If a student uses medication in breach of this Policy, without the student or their parent/guardian first disclosing the student’s need to use such medication to a School Administrator, the student may be subject to discipline in accordance with the School’s Code of Conduct.
Addiction or Substance Use Disorder
The School understands that certain individuals may develop an addiction or substance use disorder related to their use or consumption of drugs or alcohol, and that this may be defined as a disability.
Where a student has or suspects they may have an addiction or substance use disorder, and where that addiction or substance use disorder does not render them unable to do so, the student or their parent/guardian is required to notify a School Administrator prior to the student using drugs or alcohol during school hours, whether on or off of School property, and prior to their attending school impaired.
Where a student discloses an addiction or substance use disorder prior to breaching this Policy, the School will take reasonable steps to assist them in their recovery. No student who discloses an addiction or substance use disorder prior to breaching this Policy will be disciplined because of the student’s disclosure or their involvement in a rehabilitation effort.
If a student uses drugs or alcohol in breach of this Policy without first disclosing their circumstances to a School Administrator, they may be subject to discipline in accordance with the School’s Code of Conduct.
Accommodation
Where a student discloses their use of medication that could cause them to be impaired during school hours, or discloses an addiction or substance use disorder in accordance with this Policy, the School will work with that individual to determine what, if any, accommodation could reasonably be provided to that individual.
The provision of reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities related to the use of medication that could cause them to be impaired, or to persons with an addiction or substance use disorder, requires cooperation and collaboration between the student requesting the accommodation and the School. Students requesting accommodation have a duty to facilitate a reasonable accommodation offered by the School.
Definitions
Drug(s): includes but is not limited to any substance which affects a person’s physical or mental capacity or functioning, which causes a marked change in consciousness, or which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced into the body, and includes both legal and illegal forms of such substances, but does not include medications taken pursuant to a valid prescription, and in accordance with a physician’s directions.
Impaired or Impairment: a deterioration or diminishment of an individual’s physiological ability, functioning, judgment, or condition, and includes but is not limited to being unable to function as that individual does under normal or usual conditions, or safely because of intoxication by any substance.
School Hours: means the hours of the day when the School is open to students whether or not classes are in session, or any time a student is away from the School on a School organized trip, including but not limited to times when a student is not actively participating in activities or pursuits organized by the School but is otherwise away from their normal residence due to their involvement in the School organized trip.
School Property: includes but is not limited to all real or personal property, facilities, land, buildings, parking lots, equipment, and vehicles, whether owned, leased or used by the School and wherever located.
Substance Use Disorder: means a condition in which the recurrent use of alcohol, drugs, medication, or any other substance causes impairment of daily life, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet responsibilities at work, school, or home, and includes the conditions classified as substance use disorders in the Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, as amended.
Tobacco: means tobacco leaves or products produced from tobacco in any form or for any use.
Vapour Products: means a solid, liquid or gas that, on being heated, produces a vapour for use in an e-cigarette, regardless of whether the solid, liquid or gas contains nicotine.