D.A.R.E. hearings planned at schools

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Two public meetings will be held this month to explain the Drug Awareness Resistance Education program.

Parents are invited to attend a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, at Monson Elementary School, and at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at Mayo Street School in Dover-Foxcroft.

The 17-week drug prevention program is taught by law enforcement officials from the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department. The program, which concentrates on teaching young people positive life skills that will equip them to resist drugs, is unique because it uses uniformed police officers in the classroom.

D.A.R.E. was initiated in Los Angeles in 1983 and now is taught in every state and several foreign countries. This is the first year that the program has been implemented in the Mayo Street and Monson schools.