D.A.R.E. drug prevention program slated for Norwin, led by a North Huntingdon police officer

A North Huntingdon police officer will instruct Norwin students this school year in a program designed to prevent substance abuse.

Students will be taught basic skills to make good decisions regarding at-risk behaviors such as taking drugs or drinking alcohol.

The North Huntingdon commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding with the Norwin School District that outlines the duties and responsibilities of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education instructor.

Police Chief Robert Rizzo selected Officer Anna Jandric, the department’s community engagement officer, as the D.A.R.E. instructor. She will not serve as a school resource officer — Norwin has two — nor will she conduct any disciplinary actions in school, according to the agreement.

The Norwin School Board still must approve the agreement.

Although Norwin teaches students students at the secondary level about the dangers of opioid abuse, “I do believe we can do more, and we should do more,” Superintendent Jeff Taylor said.

“Unfortunately, the Norwin community is not immune to the opioid epidemic that has grown into a national crisis,” the district said in a statement.

Drug overdoses remain a problem in Westmoreland County. There were 118 drug overdose deaths in 2022 in the county, 89 of which involved fentanyl and 41 involved heroin and cocaine, according to a report from Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson. There were multiple drugs involved in 100 of the fatal overdoses, the coroner said.

“My hope is that Officer Jandric can teach, educate, and build trust and relationships not only with the students, but with the staff,” Rizzo said. “I am very hopeful that she can make an impact and help prevent future substance abuse issues with students.”

Informing students about the risks and consequences of drug abuse, while promoting making responsible decisions is part of the curriculum Jandric will use. The D.A.R.E. ‘keepin’ it REAL’ elementary school program consists of 10 45-minute lessons that include take-home family activities, Taylor said.

The curriculum identified fundamental, basic skills and developmental processes needed for healthy development, the district said.

The original D.A.R.E. elementary school curriculum was established 30 years ago and used in many elementary schools. It did not consider or provide follow-up middle school or high school curricula, Taylor said.

The D.A.R.E. program, as its progresses will, Rizzo said.

“I look at this as a continued long-term investment with hopes that as these students progress through Norwin, they will continue to hear and be taught about the dangers and how to deal with the challenges,” Rizzo said.

Jandric will be involved in the planning the implementation of a bullying prevention program that the district said is closely aligned to the D.A.R.E. program, according to the district.

Rizzo presented the idea of instituting the D.A.R.E. program at Norwin to the township commissioners in April.

The Pennsylvania D.A.R.E. program website does not list any Westmoreland County police department as being involved in the program.

The chief had proposed using money from the opioid settlement that Westmoreland County received. The county has $691,000 that will be distributed to the county’s 11 largest municipalities, including North Huntingdon.

Rizzo wants a larger cut of the money to fund North Huntingdon’s D.A.R.E. program, which is a plan ready to go. The county commissioners said they will finalize a decision by the end of the month.

“I don’t feel distributing the money equally to all municipalities is fair,” Rizzo said. “We have a greater percentage of people, so it should go to where there are more people.”