Centennial’s Superintendent Comments on District’s Drug Abuse Policy

Citing potential conflicts with the HIPAA Privacy Rule, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jennifer Foight-Cressman declined to comment on the events that unfolded Monday afternoon at William Tennent High School.

Foight-Cressman did confirm that , but would not comment any further as to the cause or the nature of the incident.

“Whenever something happens like this we certainly deal with student safety first,” she said. “After we ensure that the students' safety has been taken into consideration, then we start looking at the repercussions.”

Foight-Cressman said those repercussions run the gamut from therapeutic intervention all of the way to disciplinary action, but generally they include a little of both.

“We recognize that teenagers are learning; unfortunately, they are learning about all aspects of life, “she said. “While we never want something like this to happen, it is a place where we can still influence them in positive ways and really change their course in life.”

Foight-Cressman pointed to the district’s policy on drug abuse, noting the emphasis on rehabilitation.

“I think it is always important when we are dealing with children, and we are dealing with children, that there is that possibility for redemption and bringing them back. “ she said.

While she recognizes there are some situations that warrant outside placement, Foight-Cressman said the goal is to have the students who are able to return to the high school do so as quickly as possible.

She said in events such as these there are a variety of processes that occur simultaneously. The police will conduct a criminal investigation, independent of the school. Administrators at the school also conduct an investigation, as well as reach out to the students who were involved and their families.

“We try to be very careful to gather all of the facts first,” she said. “We are still working to gather the facts.”