Administrators confiscated “a small amount” of marijuana from a student at Charles Henderson Middle School on Wednesday, shortly before a scheduled visit from the Troy Police Department’s K-9 Unit as part of Red Ribbon Week.

“All of this today was really odd timing,” said Dr. Linda Felton Smith, superintendent of Troy City Schools.

The student, whose identity was not released, has been turned over to juvenile authorities and was no longer on campus, she said. “A very small quantity of an illegal drug was found on campus today, but that student has been turned over to juvenile authorities and our campus is safe.”

Felton Smith said the timing of the incident was “odd” because the K-9 unit, or “drug dog” as he is known, was scheduled to visit the middle school, Charles Henderson High School and the Alternative Learning Center on Wednesday, all part of the Red Ribbon Week activities. “Parents need to know that we have an agreement with the (Troy) police department that the drug dog will periodically be brought to campus,” she said. “Our purpose is proactive. We do not want drugs on our campus.”

However, shortly before the dog was scheduled to arrive at CHMS, administrators received a report from a student that another student had brought marijuana to school. “Mr. Bouldin (the principal) confiscated the drug before the drug dog even arrived at the school, called the police, and turned it and the student over to the authorities,” Felton-Smith said. “

She described the amount as “a small amount, less than ounce” and did not say if it was found in a locker or in the student’s possession.

“At the same time today, Mr. Bouldin had decided to do a lock-down drill,” Felton-Smith said, explaining the confusion among students who thought the school was in a lock-down mode during the event. “You talk about a coincidence, that was a coincidence.”

Felton-Smith said the dog conducted sweeps on all three campuses and found no drugs. “The dog didn’t hit on anything,” she said.

The superintendent said the student will face an administrative hearing, pending reports from the juvenile authorities, and could face expulsion or reassignment to the Alternative Learning Center.