Schools
KP School District Beefs Up Current Drug Prevention Curriculum
Combination of current HealthSmart program and Too Good for Drugs to be presented in school, but some say it is not enough.
Kings Park Schools Superintendent Dr. Susan Agruso announced a plan to implement into Kings Park Central School District, but not all residents are convinced that the plan is the best course of action.
The proposed plan focuses primarily on the current HealthSmart programs in kindergarten through sixth grade, with a pilot program called Too Good for Drugs launching in seventh through ninth grades.
HealthSmart programs focus on a wide range of health related topics, including nutrition and physical activity, along with a drug component.
Too Good for Drugs is an evidenced based program that sets the groundwork for drug prevention in kindergarten and continues through to high school. The pilot program that will be implemented this spring will be taught by health teachers during the “A” block, the seminar period at the middle school.
The funds for the pilot program would come from a Smithtown Youth Bureau grant. If the district does not receive the grant, a modified pilot program would still take place.
"This is the most in depth analysis of a program we’ve ever done, because we realize how important it is. We think this is the best model for our children, it addresses our concerns," said Agruso.
Many members of the school board and Kings Park In the Know, a local anti-drug task force, disagreed with Agruso, and requested a deeper integration of the Too Good for Drugs program.
“I feel like I’m being regifted,” said Maureen Rossi, President of Kings Park in the Know. “In K through five you’re taking a social studies curriculum and regifting it to me as a prevention program. It is not evidence based. Addiction is 100% preventable. I really truly believe we have a program (Too Good for Drugs) that’s proven to be effective. Why not give our kids in Kings Park the best chance to not have to go down that road?”
Of primary concern is that Too Good for Drugs would not be implemented at the elementary level, where students would be given the tools to fight addiction years before having their first exposure to drugs.
Agruso believes that Too Good for Drugs program is not a good fit for the younger students. “There are very provocative topics introduced to children at very young ages. I can understand in some places where that is the thing to do, but it is way beyond developmentally appropriate in our opinion for our K-6 children.” She later stated that the program could be modified to fit their needs if the pilot is successful.
Another obstactle noted by Agruso was time. According to Agruso, putting in drug prevention means taking time away from other activities, such as art or music.
Tom Locascio, School Board Trustee, thinks the proposed program is imperfect. He says, “in my opinion I think we need to be doing more. I think it’s a good step in the right direction, start implementing and phasing in a pilot program, an evidence based program, because I don’t think the community can deal without it.”
School Board President William Motherway said, “Even if we modify the elementary ciriculum to fit our needs, every little bit helps. We made a commitment to Health Smart. If there are some holes that Too Good for Drugs can fill, lets do it."
