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SRO outlines modern DARE curriculum; coalition praises district partnership
Summary
Deputy Hampton presented an updated, interactive 10-week DARE curriculum targeted to fifth graders; the Protect Our Youth Drug Prevention Coalition’s Tammy Bell praised the district for close partnership and strong outreach at Falcon Fest.
Deputy Hampton, the district’s school resource officer with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, presented an updated DARE curriculum to the Fountain Hills Unified School District board and described planned implementation at the elementary level.
Hampton said the modern DARE program is a research-informed, interactive 10-week curriculum that emphasizes decision-making, communication skills, trusted-adult networks and only one lesson specifically about drug information. He described lessons as 45-minute units that can be delivered weekly and said the sheriff’s office would initially fund materials for the first two years through a Safe Routes to School grant.
Hampton told the board the program is aligned with district-wide initiatives such as PBIS and the Falcon Way and noted that most students nationwide get DARE exposure in fifth grade — a choice Hampton framed as preventive given survey data that placed first substance-use age around 11.
During public comment, Tammy Bell of the Protect Our Youth Drug Prevention Coalition publicly thanked the superintendent and staff for the partnership, reported outreach to 176 elementary families at Falcon Fest, and said coalition data show fewer students in the district report recent invitations to use substances.
Administration indicated the DARE program would be placed on a future agenda for formal board approval and that staff would work with principals to schedule classes (most likely during social studies or intervention time).
