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Administrators link higher suspensions to better detection and underline mental‑health programming in SSDS report
Summary
School officials told the Hopewell Valley board that an uptick in reported violence and substance‑related incidents reflects more consistent enforcement and improved detection (SmartPass, confiscations), not necessarily an increase in behavior; district emphasized prevention programs, Rutgers partnership, Hope Squad, training, and a proposed vape take‑back box.
District administrators presented the state SSDS (violence, vandalism and substance‑abuse) report for the first reporting period of 2025–26 and said the increase in out‑of‑school suspensions reflects a combination of factors, including repeat offenders, multi‑student incidents and better detection rather than an unequivocal rise in behavior.
During the presentation, administrators explained that SmartPass tracking and more consistent enforcement make it easier to identify incidents and where students are located. "The rise in reported incidents reflects more consistent enforcement of the code of conduct and really…
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