Hoover High Principal: Upcoming Drug Search to Target Students' Cars

administrators plan to follow up with a search of students’ cars this coming spring.

Police officers didn’t find any drugs when they locked the building down Jan. 25 and searched lockers throughout the entire school. But Hoover High Principal Tony Pallija said a follow-up search of students’ vehicles this spring should reinforce the need for safety and compliance at the school.

“Sometimes they just need friendly reminders,” Pallija said at Wednesday night’s North Canton City Schools Board of Education meeting. “It sends a message to the students and the community that we’re not going to tolerate people bringing drugs into Hoover High School.”

Pallija said the January drug sweep, which included county K-9 units, was necessary because of negative comments circulating within the community and news reports media.

“We felt it was necessary because of the energy that was outside the building and in the community and in the press,” Pallija said, adding the media has reported issues of drugs at Hoover High. “We thought it was about time to check.”

Pallija commended the students for having a clean sweep.

“The entire 40 minutes we found no drugs in Hoover High School, and I’m very proud of the students for doing that,” he said.

He said administrators plan to do drug sweeps inside the building at least once a year.

Police worked with K-9 units from following law enforcement agencies during the January drug sweep: Canton Police Department, Brimfield Police Department, Navarre Police Department, Massillon Police Department and the Tuscarawas County Sheriff.

Other news from Wednesday night's board meeting:

Check back with North Canton Patch later today for more meeting coverage.