READFIELD -- The Maranacook-area school district will kick off a new drug abuse prevention effort Wednesday with spaghetti and a touch of Maine humor.

Maranacook Community High School is hosting parents and students at a spaghetti dinner that will feature an appearance by Gary Crocker, Maine humorist.

The event marks the launch of a new substance-abuse prevention strategy in the four-town school district, which serves students from Manchester, Mount Vernon, Readfield and Wayne. A group of school officials, a Kennebec County sheriff's deputy and community members developed the strategy in meetings last winter and spring.

"We're hoping (the event) will begin a dialogue in our community around keeping substances off of school campuses," Maranacook Superintendent Rich Abramson said.

The event, which runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m., will include Crocker's remarks and a discussion with parents about the drug abuse prevention efforts. The event is modeled after a similar one in Augusta two years ago, Abramson said.

Abramson, Manchester school board member Harry Lanphear and Healthy Communities of the Capital Area program manager Neill Miner will seek suggestions from parents about additional substance-abuse prevention tactics and opportunities for their involvement.

"It's going to be a nice event," Abramson said. "We're hoping it's well attended and we come away with some good suggestions from people attending."

The Maranacook district convened the drug fighting group last winter after a 2008 student survey put drug and alcohol use by Maranacook students above state averages in a number of categories, including marijuana use among high school seniors, binge drinking among juniors and alcohol use among eighth-grade students.

As a result, students this academic year will have more frequent visits from drug-sniffing dogs. They'll also have access to a dedicated phone line they can use to anonymously report drug and alcohol abuse.

"We're hoping that this (event) is going to give us the momentum to get things under way," Abramson said.

Matthew Stone -- 623-3811, ext. 435

mstone@centralmaine.com