Dear Families, 

We share your concerns regarding vaping behaviors, which are on the rise, particularly for the adolescent age group. It is encouraging that e-cigarette use has slightly declined among U.S. adolescents in the past few years. However, studies show that the intensity of use and addiction is problematic, mainly since tobacco use is established during adolescence. 

Our Wellness and Counseling Departments have partnered to provide helpful information to families and age-appropriate interventions for students. We are handling situations on a one-to-one basis as problems arise. Yet, as a proactive approach, we will be talking more about prevention, specifically anti-vaping and anti-drug use, in our elementary programs. We take this issue very seriously due to the adverse health effects vaping can have on our students, and we often find that our parents and younger students are often not aware of the risks of vaping.

This may or may not be the first time you have had conversations surrounding these topics, but we would like to continue to partner with you on educating students. Our goal is to educate appropriately before students’ true curiosity sets in. Without proper preparation and knowledge, misinformation can occur. Our goals are to educate appropriately before students’ curiosity develops, partner with you on this process and provide resources for families to follow up at home.

Please visit our website to view the elementary classroom presentation and resources.

Margaret Marotta, Ed.D.