“Weapons at school, marijuana use and the rate of depression among students emerged as areas of concern for educators and parents, in a survey of Bainbridge 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th graders.So says the school district’s Health Advisory Committee, after a state-administered survey of substance abuse among local teens. Students took the survey in November, with the results presented to the school board at Thursday’s meeting.Unfortunately, Assistant Superintendent Brent Peterson said, the percentage of our students making dangerous choices concerning the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs is very similar to the situation faced in most communities across the state.Some 2.6 percent of BHS seniors admitted carrying a gun onto school property in the month prior to the survey, and nearly 5 percent said they carried a weapon of some kind during that time frame.Some 27 percent of BHS seniors surveyed said they had felt depressed for two weeks in row or longer during the past year. Pot toleranceIn addition, the survey suggested that Bainbridge student tolerance for marijuana use soars from 6th to 12th grade.While 97 percent of Bainbridge 6th graders said they disapprove of marijuana use, by 12th grade their attitudes have apparently shifted. By that time, half of students say pot isn’t harmful if smoked in moderation – and actual use is 15 percent above the state average, with 37 percent of seniors saying they had smoked pot in the month before the survey. Commodore alternative programs administrator Catherine Camp suggested that the district could focus educational efforts on pot, using the statistics as a tool for the drug and alcohol program. BHS counselor Linnea Chu said one of most discouraging statistics was that the generally high scores in community protective factors – the positive attributes of the home and community that should help students steer clear of risky behavior – didn’t translate into less substance abuse. There appears to be a disconnect between ‘school climate’ improvement efforts and the perception and views of significant numbers of our students, Peterson agreed.Noting that it is legal for parents to serve minors alcohol in the home, some district officials noted that education efforts might include parents, too. Others said parents are often in denial about a child’s substance abuse.We are good at the information side – but some of these pieces suggest that what’s needed is a partnership with the parents and the community, Peterson said. It marked the first time the Bainbridge district has participated in the Washington State Survey of Adolescent Health Behaviors, which has been conducted every other year since 1988. Officials will use this year’s results as a baseline for future comparisons. Peterson also noted that while the results are important, most students don’t use drugs or engage in risky behavior.BHS principal Dave Ellick said that although substance abuse tends to fluctuate slightly, and the police provide anecdotal evidence of slight shifts, not much has changed during his tenure.I think these numbers are high. It’s not all right, School Board member Doug Picha countered. One part of me wants to be outraged at this.The data has been distributed to all district administrators and counselors. The step, according to Peterson and HAC members, is to help them figure out what it all means. It’s frustrating, Peterson said. Which key are we missing in terms of what will make a difference? Maybe we need to listen to the kids a little more closely. “