Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • November 27, 2013 FLOW Area Smoking policies updated for students, employees by Frank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School Board of Education has adopted policies that will prohibit students and district employees from smoking in school buildings and on school grounds. For purposes of these policies, “smoking” means the burning of, inhaling/exhaling the smoke from, or the possession of a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe, or any other matter or substance that contains tobacco or any other matter that can be smoked, including the use of smokeless tobacco and snuff, or the inhaling/exhaling of smoke or vapor from an electronic smoking device. An electronic smoking device is one that can be used to deliver nico- tine and other substances to the person inhaling from the device, including, but not limited to, an electronic ciga- rette, cigar, cigarillo, or pipe. The board prohibits smoking by students at any time in school buildings and on any school grounds at events sponsored by the board away from school, and on any transportation vehicle supplied by the board. Under these policies “schools buildings” and “school grounds” include land, portions of land, structures, build- ings, and vehicles owned, operated, or used for the provi- sion of academic or extracurricular programs sponsored by the district or community provider, and structures that support these buildings, such as school wastewater treatment facilities, generating facilities, and any other central facilities including, but not limited to, administra- tive buildings, kitchens, maintenance shops, and garages. School buildings and grounds also include athletic facili- ties and associated structures or related equipment tied to such facilities including, but not limited to, grandstands, greenhouses, garages, facilities used for non-instruc- tional or non-educational purposes, and any structure, building, or facility used solely for school administration. In addition, school buildings and grounds also include other facilities as defined in the New Jersey Adminis- trative Code, such as playgrounds and other recreational places owned by the local municipalities, private entities, or other individuals during those times when the school district has exclusive use of a portion of that land. Toys for Tots drive now under way For the fifth consecutive year, the Wyckoff Volunteer Fire Department is collecting toys to benefit the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation. The fire depart- ment asks the community to drop off new, unwrapped toys any of the three fire houses in Wyckoff: Protection Fire Company #1, 1 Scott Plaza; Community Engine Company # 2, 180 Wyckoff Avenue; or Sicomac Engine Company #3, 428 Sicomac Avenue. On Saturday, Dec. 7, at 11:45 a.m. the Toys for Tots Train will be making a stop in Wyckoff. Members of the Marine Corps and Santa Claus will stop at the Main Street train station at 399 Wyckoff Avenue to collect the gifts. The toys will be distributed to needy children. Visit www.wyckoff- fire.com or www.njoperationtoytrain.com for details. A sign indicating that smoking is prohibited in school buildings and grounds as defined above will be posted at each public entrance of a school building in accordance with law. Each sign will indicate that violators are subject to a fine and students and district employees who violate the provisions of this policy will be subject to appropri- ate disciplinary measures and may be subject to fines in accordance with law. The building principal or designee may order the departure and removal of any person who continues to smoke in violation of this policy and the law after being ordered to stop smoking on school grounds. The build- ing principal or designee may also request the assistance of law enforcement to accomplish this departure and removal. The policy also states that the board of education will comply with any provisions of a municipal ordinance that provides restrictions on, or prohibitions against, smoking equivalent to, or greater than, those provided in the NJ Administrative Code. In the event the person is found to have violated this policy and the law, the building princi- pal or designee may file a complaint with the appropri- ate municipal court or other agency with jurisdiction as defined in the NJ Administrative Code. The school board has also directed that the health cur- riculum include instruction in the potential hazards of the use of tobacco. All school staff members are directed to make every reasonable effort to discourage students from developing the habit of smoking. A student found to have violated this policy and the law may be required to participate in additional edu- cational programs to help the student understand the harmful effects of smoking and to discourage the use of tobacco products. These programs may include counsel- ing, smoking information programs, and smoking ces- sation programs sponsored by the district or available through approved outside agencies.