During the District 203 Board meeting on April 21, the district finalized changes that were proposed to the student discipline code at the annual discipline code review.

Among these changes, electronic cigarettes will officially be added to the discipline code, said Bob Ross, district assistant superintendent for secondary education.

“The annual review of the discipline code is there to make necessary changes as new inventions and such arise,” said Ross.

According to NNHS dean of students, Jeff DiOrio, electronic cigarettes will now be listed alongside regular cigarettes as Classification No. 2 violations.

“Both result in an automatic one day suspension. Other than that it really depends on the kid’s previous offenses,” said DiOrio.

There have been two student discipline code violations involving e-cigarettes that DiOrio is aware of at this time.

“One of the biggest things is that kids are using them to dispense other things besides tobacco,” said DiOrio. “We need to keep an eye on it, and that’s what we are doing.”

According to Ross, the electronic cigarette policy has technically already been in effect. This new decision serves only to clarify District 203’s stance on electronic cigarette usage.

“I want to make it explicit that [electronic cigarettes] are already not allowed,” said Ross. “This just clarifies it for the students.”