Waunakee board hears youth assessment showing rising vaping, high anxiety and low treatment rates

The Waunakee Community School District on Monday reviewed results from the Dane County Youth Assessment and social‑work summaries that district leaders say show persistent substance use and high rates of anxiety among middle‑ and high‑school students.

District presenters told the Board of Education that the assessment, administered every three years to middle and high school students, showed alcohol use holding steady since 2021 while tobacco and THC use — particularly vaping — rose. Participation in the most recent administration was about 600 middle‑school students and about 570 high‑school students, presenters said, figures the district called important context because they do not include every student.

Social workers John Wilde and Jess Hickey summarized mental‑health indicators the district is tracking: frequent anxiety and worry, incidents of suicidal ideation, and low treatment rates. Wilde and Hickey told the board that about one in three middle‑school students reported often or always feeling nervous or anxious; at the high school that figure was about 45 percent. Of those students, roughly 13 percent at the middle school and 18 percent at the high school were actively receiving treatment or strategies to address those needs, the social workers said.

Why it matters: Board members and staff said the combination of rising vaping, high anxiety and low treatment engagement is linked to school avoidance, attendance problems and rising requests for accommodations. The district said these trends reduce students’ ability to learn and exacerbate family crises when needs are unmet.

District and community responses discussed included: continuing prevention work through the Community Cares Coalition (including a focus on vaping for the next grant cycle), exploring on‑site therapeutic options so fewer students must be sent outside the district for intensive services, and expanding parent education on device use, screen time and social media. Dr. Kelsey Brown, superintendent, and board members also discussed using Common Sense Media resources and adding steady “digital citizenship” messaging into school newsletters and parent nights.

Board members asked for follow‑up data and noted limitations in the survey sample. Presenters said the district plans additional work with school counselors and the Community Cares Coalition and will seek grant funding to support prevention and early intervention efforts.

The discussion also touched on instructional practice and student device use. Staff described a decrease in incidents reported to social workers after high‑school changes to in‑school phone practices this year and said targeted parent outreach could help reduce out‑of‑school exposure to social media that contributes to anxiety.

The board did not take formal action on the assessment at the meeting; trustees asked staff to return with more detailed recommendations and next steps.