Canutillo SHAC recommends educational nicotine/vape awareness program to board
Summary
The districts School Health Advisory Council presented its annual report and recommended adoption of a research-based nicotine and e-cigarette education program (NOVA). SHAC highlighted mental-health and anti-bullying work and asked the board to approve adding the program to district offerings.
The Canutillo ISD School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) presented its annual report to trustees and recommended the board approve a nicotine and vape awareness educational program known as NOVA.
Julie Scott, identified in the presentation as a parent volunteer and SHAC chair, told trustees SHAC met the statutory requirement of four meetings in the year and that the committees priorities included adult and student mental-health supports, bullying prevention campaigns and improved parent engagement. Scott said the council also deployed a school-health index and a climate-survey effort through the districts Stronger Connections grant to identify campus needs.
On the nicotine/vape proposal, Scott described NOVA as a research-backed, age-appropriate educational curriculum "that caters to individuals of all ages regarding the dangers of nicotine and e-cigarettes," and said SHAC recommended the program for board approval. "This is an educational program aimed at delivering in-depth scientific knowledge in an interactive and adaptable way," she said.
Trustees asked about SHACs other initiatives (social-emotional-learning professional development for staff, student focus groups and parental outreach), and SHAC members described planned focus groups and extra outreach to increase parent awareness. Scott asked the board to consider recommending five parent representatives to SHAC so the council could expand its community reach.
The board heard the SHAC recommendation as an action item; the presentation requested the board amend or adopt the 2024—25 SHAC report to include the NOVA nicotine/vape awareness program. The transcript records the presentation and questions, and that the item was offered for action; the transcript does not record a final roll-call vote on that specific approval within the portion provided.

