School Safety

Drug Prevention and Violence Prevention Curriculum

Decatur City Schools and the Decatur Police Department have formed a partnership to provide Alternative Choices Education (ACES). ACES is a comprehensive safe and drug free program for the City of Decatur. ACES include an alternative summer program for at-risk children that live in low-income areas and targets youths ages 8-14. Decatur City Schools and the Decatur Police Department work in a collaborative effort with numerous community agencies and businesses to provide a safe and drug free community. 

Curriculum activities include teaching life skills and providing protective and resiliency factors in the areas of drug abuse, violence prevention, gang resistance and positive decision-making. The curriculum includes the science-based programs entitled Too Good for Drugs, Project ALERT, and Too Good for Drugs and Violence. Life skills and character education is integrated into the school curriculum to address risk factors and provide protective factors. 

Too Good for Drugs is a substance abuse curriculum for elementary schools. Too Good for Drugs is taught in all fifth-grade classes in all elementary schools in the City of Decatur. 

Project ALERT is a substance abuse curriculum for middle school students. Project ALERT is taught in sixth and seventh-grade health classes. 

Too Good for Drugs and Violence is used as a substance abuse curriculum for high school students. Too Good for Drugs and Violence is taught in tenth-grade health classes.