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Bay Shore presenters urge early prevention as youth vaping persists; board discusses K–5 pilot
Summary
District presenters described widespread youth vaping, concealment tactics and social‑media sales, and proposed piloting the 'Too Good for Drugs' curriculum in grades 4–5 (grant‑funded, eight weekly 40‑minute lessons), prompting questions about scheduling and parent outreach.
District staff presented a detailed update on student vaping and urged early preventive education, saying incidents remain widespread and that new concealment methods and social‑media 'pop‑up' sellers complicate enforcement.
Mister Gordon, a school administrator, told the board vaping “what could be classified as an epidemic” among youth and described the devices and tactics used to hide them. He said many detected incidents come from discipline cases (not anonymous self‑reports) and recounted students who told staff ‘‘I just can't stop’’ using the devices. Gordon described school‑level responses including bathroom vape detectors, quick dean/security follow‑up, camera review, health‑class lessons, and partnerships with outside providers such as the Family and Children's Association (first 12 weeks of treatment offered free, presenters said).
Mister Agostino introduced a prevention plan to bring the Mendez Foundation/YES 'Too Good for Drugs' social‑emotional learning program to upper elementary grades (grades 4–5) as a pilot. He said the program is evidence‑based, grant‑funded, and flexible so units can be tailored to district needs; the sessions are 40 minutes, once a week, for eight weeks. Agostino argued early, skills‑based instruction is preferable to fear‑based messaging and said the district aims to be proactive rather than reactive.
Board members questioned grade selection, staffing and scheduling logistics, mechanisms for parent communication (PTAs and ParentSquare suggested), and whether student testimonials or recorded external presentations (e.g., Northwell Health) might be used. Presenters said participation would not be mandatory — parents could opt out — and reiterated the program incurs no direct cost to the district under current grant arrangements. Several trustees recommended piloting in one grade to manage staffing, while students and teachers could later help scale the program.
What’s next: presenters recommended additional outreach to PTAs, preparation of one‑page parent handouts describing weekly topics, and returning with scheduling details and a plan for pilot implementation.
