MAMMOTH SPRING SCHOOL DISTRICT
Vape Detection Brings Speed, Accountability, and Deterrence to a Rural Arkansas District
Across rural school districts, administrators face a persistent challenge: student vaping that is easy to conceal, difficult to prove, and increasingly common among younger grades. With limited staff and tight budgets, small districts need solutions that are simple, reliable, and fast.
At Mammoth Spring School District in north Arkansas, leadership suspected vaping was occurring but lacked verification. By implementing Zeptive vape detectors, the district quickly confirmed the issue, improved response times, and created a visible deterrent effect, all without adding operational complexity.
School Background
Mammoth Spring School District serves approximately 400 to 450 students in grades K-12 in a rural community in northern Arkansas.
Jeff Johnston, the district’s Technology Director, oversees all technology systems. In a district this size, that responsibility is broad.
“If it plugs into a wall, I’m probably involved,” Jeff explained.
From infrastructure and cabling to policy collaboration and device management, Jeff handles both the technical and operational sides of implementation.
The Vaping Challenge
When Jeff arrived in his role, the district suspected vaping was happening but lacked concrete evidence.
“We felt like we had a problem,” he said. “But I don’t know if we ever caught anybody.” Restrooms, especially smaller junior high facilities, were the most likely locations. The district’s bathrooms typically contain only two or three stalls, and some are single-occupancy.
The concern escalated as staff realized how easily students were obtaining devices. Many vapes were reportedly taken from parents or acquired through older friends. Even more concerning, some students required emergency medical transport due to overuse.
“We’ve actually had kids picked up in an ambulance,” Jeff shared. “So, we want to discourage others from starting and try to get help for those who are using.”
FAST FACTS
CUSTOMER
Mammoth Spring School District (K-12)
INDUSTRY
Education
GEOGRAPHY
Arkansas
DISTRICT SIZE
Approximately 400-450 students
THE ISSUE
Suspected nicotine vaping in restrooms with limited verification tools
RESULTS
Immediate confirmation of vaping
activity
Rapid staff response times
Improved investigative direction
Ongoing deterrence
BENEFITS
Online management platform
Text message alerts for rapid response
Reliable detection
Competitive pricing
Flexible wired and wireless options
Why They Chose Zeptive
Jeff independently researched vape detection options. The district initially selected Zeptive’s battery-powered Wi-Fi units for locations without cabling. They later transitioned to wired units.
“Online management and the ability to send text messages to notify staff, it just makes simpler management for me,” he said.
He now regularly recommends Zeptive to peers through state technology listservs, encouraging districts to “at least take a look.”
Implementation & Response Workflow
The district placed detectors in the most obvious high-risk areas first, expanding coverage as funding allowed.
Vaping was detected almost immediately. “It verified very quickly that we had students bringing vapes to school.”
When an alert is triggered:
Staff receive a text message notification.
Cameras positioned outside restroom doors are reviewed.
Students present at the alert time are identified.
Students are removed from class, often within 10 minutes.
Hand wands and backpack checks may be conducted.
Administration and the School Resource Officer handle citations and follow-up.
Because the district is small, investigations move quickly. “In most cases now, fairly quickly, we’ll have them out of class and checked.”
Real-World Impact
In one incident, Jeff received an alert while at his desk. The alert came from a single-occupancy restroom.
He immediately pulled up the hallway camera and identified the student exiting. He then followed the student with classroom camera footage, and observed the vape being passed to another student. In less than five minutes, I had the principal in the room. The vape was recovered almost instantly.
Jeff believes stories like this create powerful peer-to-peer deterrence.
“You hope other students hear the stories and think, ‘I can’t believe how fast they figured it out.’”
Looking Ahead
The district continues expanding coverage as funding allows. As vaping trends evolve, Mammoth Spring’s approach remains practical: visible enforcement, fast response, and consistent follow-through.
For Jeff, the value of Zeptive is straightforward: “It’s worth taking a look.”