LACEY TOWNSHIP - Parents and school officials are about to have another tool in protecting school children from the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

The Lacey Township Board of Education approved a new policy Monday night that will create a voluntary random drug-testing program for middle school students.

"I'm a supporter for any intervention to give another reason for kids to say 'no' and that can start at any age, especially with our young teens," the district's newly appointed Superintendent Craig Wigley told NJ Advance Media after the policy's second reading Monday night.

Seventh and eight grade students who participate in the school district's interscholastic athletic programs or extracurricular programs will be given the option to participate in the random drug testing program, and then their parents must sign a consent form consenting to the program's provisions for 12 months.

According to the board's policy, the program may randomly test up to 40 eligible students per months from Sept. 1 through the last day of school.

The board of education will annually adopt the list of prohibited substances and determine the cut-off levels for each substance that determines a positive test before the beginning of each school year. The list of prohibited substances is expected to including alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy, methamphetamine, opiates and any others substance defined as a controlled dangerous substance by state law.

The school district already has a similar procedure in place for high school students.

"It's really another tool for schools and families to keep their kids safe. I think it's a wonderful addition and it's good to be in the forefront of that," Wigley said. "We're being proactive."

The collection of specimens for the program will be limited to the school's physician, the school nurse, a certified physician other than the school's physician or the staff of a state-licensed clinical laboratory and must be collected in a state-licensed collection station or clinical laboratory.

Parents will be confidentially notified each time their child has been tested.

A student who refuses to consent to the test after being randomly selected could be considered in violation of the policy and subject to the same consequences as if they had tested positive for alcohol or drugs.

The discipline for a positive for alcohol or drug test under the program will be limited to the removal from or prohibition again participation in interscholastic sports and extra-curricular activities. No student will be penalized academically for testing positive for drug or alcohol under the policy.

The first violation of the policy carries a penalty of the student not being able to participate in an extracurricular activity for up to 10 days. A second violation carries a 45-day penalty and the requirement to attend eight counseling sessions. A third violation will result in the student being prohibited in any interscholastic athletic activity or extracurricular event.

Students or their parents will be able to challenge a positive result from an alcohol or drug test.

The board of education will be responsible for all costs for the drug and alcohol testing, including transportation of students, but it is separate expense from testing that might be administered in the school district, including the required medical examination of students suspected to be actively under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

"It's inexpensive for the result we're getting," Wigley said.

While the new policy was approved, school officials said it would likely "take some time" to get everything into place before it can be put into effect.

Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.