MONSON HIGH SCHOOL 7-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL
Vape Detection Helps a Rural Massachusetts School Identify Rising Student Vaping
Across rural school districts, administrators are increasingly facing a difficult challenge: student vaping that is easy to conceal, difficult to detect, and widely accessible.
At Monson High School, a grades 7-12 public school serving about 300 students, administrators suspected vaping was becoming more common, but lacked reliable data to understand the scope of the issue. After installing Zeptive wireless vape detectors, the school gained real-time visibility into incidents that had previously gone largely undetected.
The result was clearer insight, faster response times, and stronger data to support prevention efforts.
School Background
Monson High School is part of a small district serving about 800 students across three schools. Principal Chris Fontaine oversees the secondary campus, which has eight bathrooms across three floors for approximately 300 students.
Administrators began noticing more vaping among students, often occurring in bathrooms where supervision is limited.
The Vaping Challenge
Before installing vape detectors, the school primarily relied on smell, observation, and chance encounters to identify vaping incidents.
As a result, the school was only identifying one or two students per year involved in vaping on campus.
After installing two detectors in high-traffic bathrooms near the gym and cafeteria, administrators quickly discovered the issue was far more widespread.
The system began identifying two to three incidents per week, often involving repeat offenders.
Most of the devices confiscated were single-use flavored nicotine vapes, often obtained through neighboring states where flavored products are easier to purchase.
Without detection technology, many of these incidents would likely have gone unnoticed.
FAST FACTS
CUSTOMER
Monson High School (Grades 7-12)
INDUSTRY
Education
GEOGRAPHY
Massachusetts
DISTRICT SIZE
Approximately 300 students
THE ISSUE
Rising student vaping, limited visibility in bathrooms, and lack of reliable data on incident frequency.
RESULTS
Identification of 2-3 vaping incidents per week after installation
Real-time alerts allowing immediate response
Reduced vaping in monitored bathrooms
Better documentation
BENEFITS
Wireless installation with minimal infrastructure
Mobile alerts sent directly to administrators
Reliable vape detection and incident data
Strong deterrent effect in monitored areas
Why They Chose Zeptive
Chris Fontaine had previously seen Zeptive detectors used successfully in another district.
Rather than relying on a product demonstration alone, the school wanted a solution that had already proven effective in a real school environment.
“We wanted something that we knew worked because we had seen it work,” Fontaine explained.
Installation was straightforward. With only three custodians across the entire district, Fontaine installed the detectors himself and worked with the district’s IT contractor to connect them to the school’s private network.
Within about 20 minutes, the devices were connected and operational.
Implementation and Daily Use
The initial detectors were installed in bathrooms identified as the most likely locations for vaping.
When a detector senses vape aerosol, administrators receive an alert directly on their phones. The principal or assistant principal can immediately move to the restroom and wait outside for students to exit.
If necessary, hallway camera footage can be reviewed using the alert timestamp to identify who was in the area.
This real-time response has made enforcement more consistent and effective.
Results & Impact
Since installing Zeptive detectors, Monson High School has gained a clearer picture of student vaping behavior. The devices have revealed how frequently incidents were occurring and allowed administrators to respond immediately. The detectors have also had a strong deterrent effect.
“Now students are saying they won’t do it at school,” Fontaine noted. While the broader issue still exists outside of school, reducing vaping during the school day is a meaningful improvement.
Data Supporting Prevention Efforts
Beyond enforcement, the data generated by the detectors has helped the school support prevention initiatives.
Chris Fontaine is working with a local drug and alcohol coalition to better understand trends and develop targeted interventions.
Accurate data has also helped the school make the case for expanding the system to additional bathrooms.
Looking Ahead
With early results showing strong effectiveness, Monson High School plans to expand vape detector coverage across the building.
The goal is to prevent students from simply shifting activity to unmonitored areas. For Fontaine, the technology provides something schools often lack when addressing vaping: reliable information.
“If we can stop it from happening in the building,” he said, “that’s at least one win.”