Lt. Rich Crabtree and school resource officer Dep. Shawn Dyer of the Union County Sheriff’s Office demonstrate the Hidden in Plain Sight program to North Union teachers and staff last week. The program educates teachers on ways to spot drug-related items and other dangerous materials easily overlooked in the schools.
(Photo submitted)
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North Union officials are continuing their work with local law enforcement on how to handle vaping and other drug related issues in the schools.
At the first board of education meeting for 2024 Saturday morning, Superintendent Justin Ufferman discussed the recent Hidden in Plain Sight program, presented to teachers and staff in the district, by the Union County Sheriff’s Office. The interactive program informs teachers and parents how to better spot items that can signal drug-related or other dangerous activities with teenagers in everyday items and containers.
Ufferman told the board that the demonstration, even though he’d seen versions before, was still able to show important, new information.
“Very eye-opening to our staff. There were things from the last time I had been to this that I hadn’t seen,” he said. “I think it was really important for our staff to see.”
Sandy Richards, North Union’s chief academic officer, said there were three different opportunities to see the presentation and almost all the staff except the elementary school was able to attend.
Ufferman said the information showed how marketing can entice teenagers to buy products online, and in some instances, without knowing exactly what is being purchased.
He said the program could help clue teachers in to something they might otherwise overlook.
“One of the things (Sheriff Jamie Patton) said was it might not even be known, with an elementary kid for example, it might not even be the fault of the kid. The parent might’ve legally purchased that candy or whatever it might be and they’re just bringing it in because they don’t know,” Ufferman said. “They think that’s what it is and they bring it into schools. So, a lot of complexities for schools.”
Board members asked if there are ways to extend the program to district parents and Ufferman said officials are working through that. He said the district attempted to schedule the demonstrations at the same time as basketball games but that didn’t work, so they may go another route.
“Our building-level communications are now more newsletter things and so that might not be a bad idea to have that go out too,” he said.
Richards said the district may also look into incorporating the information into parent-teacher conferences in the future.
Overall, officials said there is a reduction cases mostly due to the installation of the HALO smart sensors, installed in the restrooms in recent years. The devices are multi-sensors capable of vape detection, smoke detection, THC detection and detection of loud sounds like gunshots or fighting.
The HALO detector also monitors carbon dioxide as well as particulate concentrations, humidity, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen dioxide in the air.
“I would say it’s on a downward trend, we have some spikes here and there but the vape-detectors help,” said Keith Conkling, high school principal. “Kids haven’t gotten good at doing it in places where the detectors aren’t located, but it’s better.”