It’s been four years since Brown County students were surveyed about drug and alcohol use. Superintendent Laura Hammack recommended to the school board Dec. 15 that the survey be given again.

The board approved giving the 2017 Indiana Youth Survey in March. Sixth-graders at Brown County Intermediate School and all students at the junior high and high school will take the survey.

The survey is conducted by the Indiana University Indiana Prevention Resource Center on behalf of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Mental Health and Addiction.

It is free to the district and will take about 30 minutes. A shorter version can be used for sixth-graders.

“Quite honestly, I’m very, very upset about the data that we saw four years ago. It was showing an alarming, a substantial increase above norm as far as at-risk behavior that was being expressed by students as compared to the state,” Hammack said.

“So having the data, I think, is fundamental in order for us to implement a research-based curriculum for us to be able to really target these issues that are facing not just our boys and girls, but our county.”

Anonymous survey results will be returned to the district in August. Reports will be released that show trends throughout the state without identifying specific school districts, Hammack said.

If the district chooses to administer the survey again next year, they will be able to receive a report comparing 2018 results to 2017, Hammack said.

School board approves personnel changes

Brown County School Board of Trustees meeting board members approved the following Dec. 15:

• Reclassification of Administrative Assistant to the Special Education Department Ronna Snyder from temporary to permanent.
• Reclassification of Sprunica Elementary School administrative assistant Jenny Webb from temporary to permanent.
• Separating Van Buren Elementary School Science Bowl Coach Mandy Austin, effective immediately. Austin has begun teaching math instead of science at Van Buren. Van Buren teacher Tina Robertson was appointed to replace her, $559 stipend, effective Dec. 1.
• Separating administrative assistant to the superintendent Amber Phelps, effective immediately.
• Separating BCJHS cafeteria manager Danyeil Ferguson, effective Jan. 13.
• Appointing BCHS dance coach Sindy Woolems, $511.50 stipend, for the 2016-2017 school year. She is a replacement for Wrenn Clark and Sarah Axton.