By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
In July, the USD 428 Board of Education finalized a new vape policy to be implemented in Great Bend schools for the 2023-24 school year. At Monday's board meeting, Assistant Superintendent John Popp provided an update to the board. So far, the policy seems to be working.
"Comparatively speaking in numbers, last year to this point, we'd had 28 total vape incidences of some kind," he said. "Eighteen at the high school, seven at the middle school, three at the elementary. This year, we've only had 11 total. We've had eight at the high school and three at the middle school."
More than half of those instances, including all three at the middle school, happened in November. The policy includes a growth and education option or a non-compliance or punitive option when students are caught vaping. Popp said one instance did not qualify for the growth path but nine of the other 10 students chose the educational option.
"I think the educational piece isn't as strong as I would like, but the two paths so far, I think, have been very well received," Popp said. "We're actually having a lot fewer days of out-of-school suspension over it because they're able to get the three days of in-school suspension, they do the education piece, and they're able to keep up on their work."
In September, the board also heard about the positive impacts of no cell phones in classrooms at Great Bend High School. Principal Tim Friess credited that policy with cutting down on some vaping incidents.