Schools

Drug-Test Policy in Effect at Malvern Prep, Report Says [UPDATED]

A company that will soon handle testing at Saint Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia already does testing at the Malvern school.

Update 2/20/13 5pm: The Inquirer article's claim that Malvern Prep has a universal drug-testing program is incorrect, according to Malvern Prep's Director of Strategic Marketing, Monique Kelly.

As noted below, the school has an opt-in program for students in the high school, in which parents decide whether their children should be tested for drug use. About one-third of the students' parents have opted into the program, Kelly said.

The Inquirer has updated the online version of its article, without noting the change.

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Original story continues below.

An article published Friday on philly.com states Malvern Prep has a universal drug-testing policy.

Find out what's happening in Malvernwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The article, Saint Joe's Prep to begin hair-sample drug testing on students, mentions Massachusetts-based Psychemedics as the firm handling the drug testing at both preparatory schools: 

While Saint Joe's program will be random testing, Elder predicted that by as early as next year, the school would opt for what many other private schools already implement: mandatory, or universal, drug testing.
Psychemedics also adminsters a universal testing program at Malvern Preparatory School in Chester County.

Multiple documents on the Malvern Prep website state the policy was designed as an opt-in program, as of the 2011-12 school year:

Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, Malvern will offer drug testing as a service to parents who choose to avail themselves of it for their son.  Parents must contact the school nurse (cmcgettigan@malvernprep.org) in writing, preferably before January 20, to enroll their son in this program.

Read the full article at Philly.com.


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