JEFFERSON TWP — South Butler School Board expelled a fifth student for violating the district’s drug and alcohol policy at the end of the 2015-16 school year.

Board members voted Wednesday night to expel the student for the 2016-17 school year, but the student will be eligible to apply for readmittance at the end of the first semester.

Superintendent David Zupsic said the incident involving the five students happened June 10, the last day of the past school year.

He said a backpack with drug paraphernalia was left in a parking lot at the school.

School police identified the bag’s owner, and the investigation found that three other students had “got into situations where they violated the drug and alcohol policy” of the district.

More recently, the fifth student was added.

Zupsic said the investigation into the students’ violations was “based around marijuana use,” which occurred off school property, and that the paraphernalia subsequently was brought onto school property.