Steelton-Highspire School District sees decrease in student vape usage

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) – In February 2023, Steelton-Highspire Junior/Senior High School installed vape detectors in its four main bathrooms in the school.

“We experienced some kids using vapes. Not a lot, but we did have a few that were using them from, you know, teenagers, more or less. So that is one of the places they go to is the bathroom,” said Steelton-Highspire School District Superintendent Dr. Mick Iskric.

While vaping wasn’t a huge problem. Iskric says the decision to install these detectors wasn’t to get kids in trouble, but to prevent vape usage.

“We use it as a means of education. So, education surrounded around the, you know, the side effects of vaping and the effects on your health. So, we look at those things and we try to educate kids, so they make better choices,” said Iskric.

Since installing the detectors, Iskric says the school has noticed a decrease in vaping when it comes to alerts being sent. Iskric didn’t have an exact number but says at one time the school received several notices multiple times a day. Now, Iskric says detections are down significantly.

“So, our principals in the buildings get the alert. Our school resource officer gets the alert as well. They get a text message, they get an email as well. And it’s timestamped and then what we can do is if we don’t get to that notification right away, we can go back and look on the cameras and see who came out of the bathroom at that time,” said Iskric

Iskric says the district is also looking into advancing the technology.

Where the cameras will be wired directly to the system. So, it’ll trigger and actually send the video through email,” said Iskric.

Iskric says if a student is caught multiple times, it could result in a citation.