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00:00:03 --> 00:00:08 Welcome to your Morning Boost and a super happy Tuesday to all you amazing school leaders out there.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 Yesterday, we got into what restorative practices are all about,
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 why they're a big deal, and the research that shows that these really work.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 Today, we're diving headfirst into something that pops up way too often,
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 and that is a student caught vaping in the bathroom.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:27 Instead of just handing out a punishment, how do we turn this into a real chance
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 for learning and positive change?
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 We are going to walk through a detailed, restorative way to handle it,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:38 focusing on understanding, taking responsibility, and preventing it from happening again.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:46 All right, welcome back. So picture this. A staff member catches a student using
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 a vape in the school bathroom. That never happens, right?
00:00:49 --> 00:00:53 I mean, I'm old enough to remember the time where just before I entered a bathroom,
00:00:53 --> 00:00:57 I would try to guess which brand of cigarette I was going to find based on the smell.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:02 Oh, times have changed, but how we address this has changed too.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:08 Instead of that usual immediate suspension, let's think about a more restorative path.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 First off, you're going to want to make sure everyone's safe.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 Safely take the vape device and then have a calm private chat with the student.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 Focus on what happened, not just on judging them right away.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:23 For instance, you might say, hey, I saw you using this device in the bathroom.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:27 Can you tell me what happened from your side? When you're somewhere private,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 start that restorative conversation with some core questions.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 What happened? What were you thinking about at the time?
00:01:33 --> 00:01:38 What have you thought about since? Who do you think has been affected by what happened?
00:01:38 --> 00:01:42 It helps a student see the bigger picture, like how it impacts their health,
00:01:42 --> 00:01:46 the school environment, and maybe even the folks who clean the bathrooms or
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 other students that are in the bathroom or needing a safe space.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:54 Then give them a chance to actually answer the question of why I'm not going
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 to be What do you need to do to make things right?
00:01:58 --> 00:02:02 Lots of students generally don't know the health risks with vaping,
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 so this is a crucial teaching moment that we can take advantage of.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:09 Get the student connected with resources, maybe your school nurse or counselor,
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 for an honest talk about the dangers of vaping.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:16 You could share facts from reliable sources like the American Lung Association,
00:02:16 --> 00:02:21 which points out all of the nasty respiratory issues and how addictive nicotine and vapes can be.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:27 A quick story might help here. I remember a student, we'll call him Alex, who got caught vaping.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 And instead of just sending him home, we had to meet with our school nurse.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 The nurse explained the chemicals and vapes.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:45 I've seen this personally in action. I remember a student, Alex,
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 who got caught vaping, and instead of just sending him home,
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 I had him meet with our school nurse.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 The nurse explained the chemicals in vapes and the long-term health effects.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:58 This student actually admitted he thought it was harmless and that the conversation
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 was a turning point for him.
00:02:59 --> 00:03:03 He ended up getting help to quit because he truly understood the risk to his health.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 Working together with the student to come up with a solid plan to fix things.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:13 This could mean that they have to join a school vaping education program or
00:03:13 --> 00:03:14 go to counseling sessions.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:18 Maybe they even help make an informational poster about vaping that we put up
00:03:18 --> 00:03:22 in the school or get involved in a peer education project.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:26 This gives them a sense of ownership and a chance to do something positive.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:30 A written reflection about what happened, too, that can work also.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:36 So it shows them how they, a written reflection about what happened can work as well.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:41 Showing they get the harm caused and they're committed to healthier choices.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:45 And it can be, a written reflection about what happened, showing that they get
00:03:45 --> 00:03:49 the harm caused and are committed to healthier choices can be really good too.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:53 Now the last part is to set up a meeting with the parents. This isn't just about
00:03:53 --> 00:03:58 reporting a rule broken in a punishing way. It's about getting them on board
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 as partners in their child's learning and well-being.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:05 So share the student's perspective, the harm identified, the restorative plan
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 that you and the student have come up with.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:12 And then here's the kicker. Have the student lead parts of this conversation themselves.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:16 You know, something like, Mom and Dad, I want to explain what happened and what
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 I'm doing to make it right.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:21 This really empowers the student and shows that they're owning their actions.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 We may just have to help with some sentence starters or some way to get the
00:04:24 --> 00:04:29 conversation moving. But have the student focus on common goals for their health
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 and bring the parents into that conversation.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:38 So when it comes to a vaping incident like this one, taking that restorative
00:04:38 --> 00:04:42 approach shifts the focus from just giving a consequence to building a deeper
00:04:42 --> 00:04:47 understanding of the impact and empowering the student to genuinely fix things.
00:04:47 --> 00:04:53 It's about turning a slip-up into a powerful learning experience.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:57 Just remember, these kinds of conversations build trust and give students a
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 way to learn from their mistakes instead of just sitting out of school.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 Thanks for listening. We have another.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:10 Thank you for listening. We got another scenario we will chat on tomorrow and give again.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:16 All right, that's it for Tuesday. Thank you for listening. We will talk with you again tomorrow.