Vape detectors approved

In an effort to quell a vaping epidemic in Cloquet high school and middle school bathrooms, the Cloquet school board voted unanimously Monday to purchase a vaping detection system at a total cost of $21,699. The school district is purchasing 14 devices for the high school, 10 for the middle school and seven for the Cloquet Area Alternative Education Program at Garfield.

“We’ve been trying for a number of years to see if we could address the vaping issue,” superintendent Michael Cary told the board, advocating for the purchase. “Our principals have kind of exhausted all the available options to the point where both Steve and Tim (CHS principal and vice principal) were both stationed outside of bathrooms at student desks. That’s not a good use of our principals’ time.”

According to the vape detector website, the devices provide constant indoor air quality monitoring, vape detection and anti-bullying prevention — because the devices can monitor sound in areas where cameras are restricted, such as bathrooms.

Board members also approved renovations to the middle school Monday, at a bid cost of $62,400.

A contractor will be putting a partition wall into a storage area behind the cafeteria to add two new office spaces for mental health providers in the school.

“As we host more mental health support providers in our schools, we’ve run into a shortage of private office space to host those providers,” Cary said, adding that the costs will be covered by the Covid-19 federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) initiative, so won’t come out of the school district budget.

In other matters, board member Hawk Huard removed the softball coaching positions from Monday’s consent agenda because of concerns. That item is now on the agenda for a special meeting set for 8:15 a.m. Friday morning, called to discuss allegations against a school district employee. Board members will go into closed session for that discussion.

“I’d like to get all the information if we’re going to make some decisions,” board member Dave Battaglia said.