EDITOR'S NOTE: This article is part of an ongoing SooToday series — 'Turning the Tide' — that explores potential solutions to our city’s toxic drug crisis. You can read more about our project HERE.
School boards serving the Sault and Algoma District are committed to keeping their students away from drug use and helping those who have gotten into it.
“It’s definitely a significant issue that some of our students are dealing with," said Darryl Fillmore, Algoma District School Board mental health lead.
"There are quite a number of substances that are now available to youth that pose high degrees of risk. It's a tough world out there for them and we're certainly trying to do our best to stay ahead.”
Students are taught to stay away from harmful substances at an early age, but for students who use drugs and are in danger of crossing the line into addiction, school boards are there to help.
It begins with a student realizing they need help and knowing they can approach someone within the school for support, Fillmore said.
“We have a ‘no wrong door’ approach, meaning that a student can talk to any adult in a school building and those adults are aware of who to talk to and how to get that student connected to supports. Any teacher will know how to get that student referred to our counselling services within schools,” Fillmore said.
ADSB has a group of approximately 25 school counsellors to support students who could be struggling with substance use.
“The students also have access to our mental health and addictions nurses that visit our schools who can provide additional expertise,” Fillmore said.
Sault and Algoma District school boards also have specialized classrooms that support students who are struggling with substance use.
Students who have fallen into drug use are often referred to community agencies, primarily Algoma Family Services.
That agency offers Alternatives for Youth, an outpatient program that includes counselling and harm reduction tips for youth who use drugs.
“That’s a great resource for our students. That program will come right into the school and meet individually with those students,” Fillmore said.
Students encountering greater difficulty with drug use are referred to services offered by health-care facilities such as Sault Area Hospital.
Drugs, of course, are not permitted on school premises. There are consequences for drug use on school property, including suspension.
However, educators are aware that some students disobey the ‘no drugs’ rule during the school day or indulge in drug use after school hours.
“We're not naive to the fact that some students do use drugs," said Fil Lettieri, Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board director of education.
"If you were to have an instance where you were aware of students using drugs, it becomes a case of supporting them and supporting their families," Lettieri said.
Jared Lambert, H-SCDSB mental health lead, said they want to do everything they can to help students.
“This problem does come up, particularly for some of our adolescents, and that's where we want to make sure that those students who might be struggling with those things can still feel that our staff are approachable, that they can reach out to us for help,” Lambert said.
H-SCDSB has a team of 11 student and family counsellors operating in the board’s schools across the Sault and Algoma.
Teachers and principals can help, Lambert said.
“If we became aware of something like substance use on the part of some of our youth, we'd be looking to hook them up with the right supports, the right help,” he added.
Like ADSB, H-SCDSB often refers students who use drugs to Algoma Family Services.
“We work really closely with them,” Lambert said.
Warning signs of drug use in students include:
- Changes in mood and behaviour
- Changes in sleep patterns or appetite
- Often being absent from class
- Academic decline
- Associating with a new, unfamiliar group of friends
- Secretive behaviour
- Physical clues such as red or glassy eyes and being ‘under the influence’
Both boards are taking a proactive approach and striving to keep students away from experimenting with drugs.
“We're bringing in things like presentations and information sessions that are well vetted and that are evidence-based,” Lambert said.
For the past three years, H-SCDSB has used PreVenture, a prevention program for students in Grades 7 and 8.
“PreVenture highlights the risk that's associated with drug use and with alcohol use, but it also focuses more on offering some healthy solutions, healthy alternatives, and it really helps the students with goal setting too,” Lambert said.
Students at both school boards are also encouraged to get involved in healthy activities such as sports, art, music or other beneficial hobbies and interests.
“I think that approach over the years is probably resulting in a reduction in drugs being prevalent in our schools,” Lettieri said.
“We know that their brains are still developing, their bodies are still developing. Drugs are not a healthy choice for them to make. We know that avoiding drug use altogether would be the healthiest choice for them and for a lot of adults as well,” Lambert said.
Despite the suffering drugs can cause, Fillmore said ADSB has seen many success stories.
“We have students that have missed years of schooling as a result of addictions and mental health challenges but with our community partners like Algoma Family Services we've been able to re-engage with them, build trusting relationships and have them slowly re-integrated into places of learning, whether that's an alternative education option or a regular composite school, and graduate.”
“Those are the real tear-jerkers for our staff when we see what these students are able to overcome in their lives and that's what keeps us going,” Fillmore said.
