Detection Dog Coming to MCHS this Spring

board members were introduced Thursday night to Goldie, a 3-year-old detection dog, who will be a fixture at MCHS this spring.

Goldie and her handler, Glenn VadeBonCouer, are from Interquest Detection Canines, which provides illegal substance-sniffing dogs to local school districts. Interquest's dogs are trained to sniff out illegal drugs, alcohol, gunpowder, fireworks and prescription pills in the school environment. The dogs, mostly Labrador and golden retrievers, are specially selected for friendliness and to work in the school environment.

"Over the years, I've had a dog sniff out a half-can of beer in a student's car," said VadeBonCouer.

While on campus, the dog-and-handler team will walk through the school and parking lots with a school administrator, paying special attention to lockers, hallways, locker rooms and student vehicles.

"We're not the silver-bullet solution," said VadeBonCouer, "but we can drive (drugs and alcohol) out of the schools."

In addition to sniffing out contraband, Goldie and VadeBonCouer visit classrooms to give presentations on saying no to drugs as well as Fourth Amendment search-and-seizure rights.

Goldie and VadeBonCouer will perform searches at both MCHS campuses in the spring semester courtesy of Grundy State's Attorney John Bates, who paid for the team's services with county drug forfeiture funds.

State report card

The board on Thursday also received the 2011 Illinois School Report Card. According to the state report, the district did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress targets this year. Superintendent James Colyott partially attributed that to a new state law mandating all students who are in their third attendance year at a high school are considered juniors and required to take the PSAT, the test the report was based on, meaning students who are not learning at a junior-year level or have been held back a grade are still considered juniors and must take the test.

Colyott also pointed out that of 638 high schools in Illinois, only eight acheived AYP this year.

"It doesn't mean we're all failing schools, it just means we didn't meet the No Child Left Behind standards," he said.

In other district news

Minooka teen thanked the board for their support of his pop tabs to support Ronald McDonald House Charities. He announced his intention to collect tabs during his four years at MCHS.

MCHS Judo Club President Matt Niemann and club sponsor Rick Undesser thanked the board for their support for a recent judo tournament held at the school. The Oct. 22 tournament hosted competitors and officials from four states.

The MCHS fall play, "You Can't Take it With You," will have performances at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are still available.