Page 80 - Superintendent Annual Report 24-25

TOBACCO PREVENTION PROGRAM

The Tobacco Prevention Program works to reduce substance misuse among youth
across Florida. In FY25, the program offered alternative-to-suspension courses
and prevention-focused training. The alternative-to-suspension courses provided
two levels of support for elementary, middle, and high school students facing
disciplinary actions related to alcohol, tobacco, or drug infractions. Upon suc-
cessfully completing the course, students were no longer required to serve the
out-of-school suspension days assigned under the District Student Code of Conduct.
Additionally, to better support middle and high school students, a Spanish-language
vape prevention course was made available.

The program strengthened tobacco and vaping prevention efforts by training over 20 educators and school
nurses through professional learning opportunities that provided continuing education credits. These ini-
tiatives reached more than 150 students through cascading instruction and interactive course content that
focused on industry tactics, health risks of nicotine, and effective prevention strategies.

In FY25, the program :

• Implemented a tobacco prevention course in 100 schools.
• Provided two prevention courses for school personnel.
• Educated 865 students about substance misuse through infraction courses.
• Provided seven online alternative-to-suspension courses for students.
• Prevented students from missing 1,700 instructional hours.

TRUSTED ADULT INITIATIVE

The Trusted Adult Initiative ensures that every student in a District-operated school has access to a trusted
adult on campus who provides emotional support, guidance, and a sense of belonging. This adult may be a
teacher, counselor, coach, or another staff member with whom students feel comfortable sharing concerns and
seeking advice. The initiative was launched in response to findings from the School Effectiveness Questionnaire
and aligns with the District’s Strategic Plan.

In FY25, over 170 schools designated a trusted adult as the point of contact (POC) to lead implementation at the
school level. The trusted adult workgroup supported these POCs through monthly Chat and Chew meetings,
where best practices and model implementations were shared and discussed. The Trusted Adult Student
Form was created to assess and monitor the presence of trusted adults on each school campus. A trusted adult
dashboard was developed to monitor student responses, offering actionable insights to school administrators
and POCs. By the end of FY25, over 80% of students District-wide completed the Trusted Adult Student Form,
and approximately 85% of respondents indicated they have a trusted adult on campus. The District continues
to support schools in achieving 100% participation and ensuring that all students have a trusted adult.

80 SUPERINTENDENT ANNUAL REPORT