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Rockport survey shows high levels of student distress; vaping and screen time remain concerns
Summary
Presenters and health partners told the Rockport School Committee that 56% of high school respondents reported their mental health 'not good' at least some of the time, vaping use was 23% in the past 30 days and 79% of high schoolers report three-plus hours of screen time a day. Officials urged education and community partnerships rather than only punitive measures.
The Rockport School Committee heard a presentation on the district's youth health survey (spring 2024), which administrators and regional public‑health partners said offers a new multi-year data point for local planning. Chelsea Goldstein Walsh, regional prevention director, and Jesse Palm, regional social worker, assisted the district in administering and interpreting the report.
Presenters cautioned that changes in who was surveyed can affect year-to-year percentages (the district included sixth graders in 2022 but did not in 2024) and that small cohort sizes can skew some subgroup comparisons. On substance use, the presentation noted: "23 percent of high school students used electronic vaping devices in the past 30 days." The presenters also emphasized that the survey counts any use in the prior 30 days, from a single sip to heavier use, which limits conclusions about intensity.
On mental health, the presentation reported that 56% of high‑school respondents indicated their mental health was "not good" sometimes, most of the time, or always (down from 67% in 2022); middle‑school rates rose slightly. Committee members described mental health as a community issue and said the data will be used to guide prevention, counseling and grant-seeking efforts. "This is a community problem," one administrator said, urging partnerships beyond the school to respond.
Presenters called for prevention, education and restorative approaches for vaping and substance use rather than solely punitive discipline. The board agreed the data can support grant applications and community programs to expand supports for students.
