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York School District 1 proposes vape-detection devices and adopts a Stanford REACH Lab curriculum to curb student vaping
Summary
District technology and curriculum leaders told the board they will install vape detectors in middle- and high-school bathrooms, roll out a digital prevention curriculum published by Stanford REACH Lab, and tighten progressive-discipline rules for students found with THC devices.
Chuck Wallace, the district’s director of technology, told the York School District 1 Board of Trustees that student vaping remains a concern and outlined a two-pronged response of detection technology and education.
“We see 30 percent of our students feel that there's very little risk or issues with vaping,” Wallace said, citing a district survey of seventh, ninth and eleventh graders. He described steps already underway, including SmartPass electronic hall passes and a planned installation of vape-detection devices in every middle- and high-school bathroom. Wallace said the devices will report alerts to staff iPads or phones and “will also detect whether it's nicotine, THC.” The district plans training for administrators and procedures to review camera and SmartPass data to identify responsible students when a detector is triggered.
The board also heard from a curriculum presenter introduced as Miss Cox, who said the district's comprehensive health committee selected a digital program published by the Stanford REACH Lab, described in the meeting as the “You and Me Together” curriculum. The presenter said the course includes six middle- and high-school lessons (about 15 minutes each) and two elementary lessons, aimed at increasing student awareness of vaping harms and of the marketing tactics manufacturers use.
The district described a revised, more aggressive progressive-discipline matrix for the 2024–25 school year that elevates possession of THC devices to possible alternative placement pending a hearing. Administration said Keystone’s funded student-assistance (SAP) counselor is available for referrals at the high school and can be made available to middle-school students as needed. Board members asked for data on how many students have been placed in alternative programs or expelled; the administration said those figures would be provided in the Friday information packet.
The board did not take separate recorded roll-call votes on these presentation items; the measures were discussed and the administration confirmed planned next steps including vendor installation, staff training, and follow-up reporting to the board.
