Keeping our schools safe, healthy and drug-free is the focus of a three-day conference hosted by the U.S Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. The national conference, "Celebrating 20 Years of Collaboration to Make Schools Safe, Healthy and Drug-Free: Reflecting on the Past and Looking Ahead," will take place Aug. 2-4 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1000 H St. N.W., Washington, D.C. It will feature more than 1,300 participants, ranging from education leaders, mental health representatives and parents to experts in the field of substance abuse, violence prevention and emergency preparedness. There are numerous workshops. Meeting highlights and important information are on the Web at www.osdfsnationalconference.org.

"Schools should be sanctuaries of hope and learning where students can learn, challenge themselves and expand their potential, free from fear," U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said. "All of our goals for student achievement start with safe, healthy and orderly learning environments. This conference is an excellent opportunity for dedicated professionals to discuss the best ways to protect our young people and prepare them to contribute to a better America."

The goals of the three-day conference include:

• Showcasing prevention programs that demonstrate effectiveness in reducing student alcohol, tobacco and other drug use, and that prevent school violence.
• Providing opportunities for leaders, decision-makers and policy setters to expand their knowledge about substance abuse, violence prevention and other emerging issues facing schools today.
• Gaining knowledge and new perspectives from nationally known prevention experts, representatives from federal agencies, leaders from local and state agencies, and school site leaders.
• Maximizing efforts to keep young people safe, healthy, and drug free by strengthening existing partnerships and collaborating on key priority issues.

"We know that schools are on the front line confronting many of the issues our young people are facing, and we have designed this conference to provide the tools and strategies that educators need to help address the challenges they face everyday," Deborah Price, assistant deputy secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, said.

More information about the conference is available at www.osdfsnationalconference.org.

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