Board accepts $26,808 grant to install vape detectors, approves related procurement

The Goshen County School District #1 board on a voice vote accepted a $26,808 grant from the Community Healthcare Foundation to purchase vape detectors for Torrington Middle School, Torrington High School and Flat River schools.

District staff explained the devices are ceiling‑mounted sensors that detect vaping and tobacco substances and can be set to send email, text or app notifications to school personnel. A district representative said the detectors are designed to integrate with the district’s security platform so staff can correlate an alert with nearby camera footage for follow‑up investigation rather than automatically assign guilt.

"It initiates the investigation process for the principal," a district administrator said, adding that a detector activation does not itself determine culpability.

Lynette Salcedo of the Community Healthcare Foundation said the grant complements prevention programs and diversion options for youth. "This is not a gotcha," she said, and described prevention and referral programs the foundation helps to fund.

Board members asked whether prevention funding could pay for detectors; Salcedo said prevention dollars cannot be used to purchase vape detectors, which is why the foundation covered the cost. The board approved acceptance of the grant and concurrent edits to district policy language tied to grant requirements.

The board also approved a pulled consent item updating a custodial‑supplies purchase total to $20,252.43 for Trail Elementary and DHS during the same meeting.

Next steps: staff will coordinate installation at the approved sites, integrate detectors with the district security platform, and monitor early usage to determine whether additional schools will join future phases. Participation by Southeast and Lingle was deferred for the initial rollout.