HOLLIDAYSBURG — Standing in front of the Hollidaysburg Area School Board Wednesday night in the high school library, High School Principal Maureen Letcher covered her mouth with her hand as if to stifle a yawn.

And that, she said, is how easily vaping is concealed by students. In her hand was a discreet vape pen that students are apt to use during school.

She demonstrated how students exhale the vapor into the crook of their arm as if coughing.

Drug and alcohol use is down at the junior high and senior high schools, all except for vaping, Hollidaysburg Area School District administrators said.

Vaping entails inhaling a flavored vapor, usually but not always containing nicotine, from a battery-powered pen. The devices can also include cannabis vapor; however, Superintendent Bob Gildea said the administration has not identified that as an issue among students.

Letcher said the district is going to make an effort, beginning with a letter, to educate parents and students about vaping, which carries a penalty of a three-day suspension.

About 30 percent of Hollidays­burg Area Senior High Students surveyed indicated they had participated in vaping in the past 30 days, she said.

Later in the meeting, the board renewed two state-standard policies: one attaching a three-day suspension to vaping and another outlining protocol for student searches.

Board member Lois Kaneshiki disagreed with aspects of both policies and voted against renewing them although both policies have been in place for years and are solicitor-reviewed and state-recommended.

Gildea clarified that the search policy does not call for random searches but only when there is suspicion of a student carrying a weapon or illegal substance.

Kaneshiki said she realized that but disagreed with expanding the policy to include searches for vape pens.

“Before we make it illegal to carry vaping pens, I think we should educate students,” she said. “I think it is kind of harsh to suspend kids for three days for carrying that piece of equipment. (And regarding the search policy) I think it’s sad that kids are going to school and thinking it’s OK for people to be searching through their purses and bags.”

She added, “I don’t think we are helping them become responsible adults by showing them they can’t be trusted. I may be wrong, but I’m not convinced these policies are the best thing so far.”

Mirror Staff Writer Russ O’Reilly is at 946-7435.