Alternative to Suspension

 Through Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) and SMUHSD Mental Health

VAPE  |  Substance Use Program (SUP) |  Brief Intervention (BI)
Alternative to Suspension (ATS)  |  ATS - Flex  |  ATS - PL   

El Centro (Spanish Speaking Support)  |  Tier 1 On-Site Support

Family Support

Vaping Awareness Prevention and Education (VAPE)

SMUHSD is offering small group sessions in an effort to increase our students’ knowledge surrounding the harmfulness of vaping nicotine, cannabis, and triangulum use (vaping, nicotine, & cannabis) and to empower conversations to support awareness about nicotine and cannabis use, as well as cutting down and quitting. This is the preferred option for initial referrals for nicotine and cannabis use.

• Ongoing group enrollment: sessions run Mondays for two weeks, 4:15 - 5:45 p.m., in person at the District office or virtually.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Self-referral: Complete ATS/TUPE Referral Form 2026-27
• Disciplinary referral:
  • Step 1: Administrator speaks with parent and student re: VAPE referral. Please obtain verbal consent when you speak to the parent and document in Aeries.
  • Step 2: Admin completes ATS/TUPE Referral Form 2026-27
  • Step 3: Admin initiates Informed K-12 (VAPE) form, which then gets sent to the TUPE team to fill in the dates and parent/guardian email.
  • Step 4: Team contacts parent and student re: meeting information.
• Informed K-12 VAPE Program: VAPE English- 2026-27 | VAPE Spanish 2026-27
• Facilitator/s: Jessamy Cadigan, Jonathan Lopez

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Substance Use Program (SUP)

This group provides the opportunity to enhance critical thinking, inform decision making, raise awareness and foster ambivalence towards substance use. This group is intended for other substances beyond cannabis and nicotine or if VAPE or BI has already been offered.

• Ongoing group enrollment: sessions run Tuesdays for four weeks, 4 - 5:30 p.m., in person at the District office or virtually.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Self-referral: Complete ATS/TUPE Referral Form 2026-27
• Disciplinary referral:
  • Step 1: Administrator speaks with parent and student re: SUP referral. Please obtain verbal consent when you speak to the parent and document in Aeries.
  • Step 2: Admin completes ATS/TUPE Referral Form 2026-27
  • Step 3: Admin initiates Informed K-12 (SUP) form, which then gets sent to the TUPE team to fill in the dates and parent/guardian email.
  • Step 4: Team contacts parent and student re: meeting information.
• Informed K-12 SUP Forms: SUP English - 2026-27 | SUP Spanish - 2026-27
• Facilitator/s: Jessamy Cadigan, Jonathan Lopez

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Brief Intervention (BI) for Substance Use

Brief Intervention (BI) is a counseling intervention for students identified with substance use, a short history of use, ambivalence about changing their use, and experiencing few problems with their use.

• Ongoing enrollment: Two brief one-on-one sessions in person, at school site or DO, or virtually, will be scheduled with a trained professional based on student’s availability, with options for additional sessions and an optional, encouraged parent session.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Self-referral: Complete ATS/TUPE Referral Form 2026-27
• Disciplinary referral:
  • Step 1: Administrator speaks with parent and student re: BI referral. Please obtain verbal consent when you speak to the parent and document in Aeries.
  • Step 2: Admin completes ATS/TUPE Referral Form 2026-27
  • Step 3: Admin initiates Informed K-12 (BI) form, which then gets sent to TUPE team to fill in the dates and parent/guardian email.
  • Step 4: Team contacts parent and student re: meeting information.
• Informed K-12 BI Forms: BI English - 2026-27 | BI Spanish - 2026-27
• Facilitator: Jessamy Cadigan, Jonathan Lopez

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Alternative to Suspension (ATS)

ATS is a strength-based group utilizing restorative justice practices, allowing students to turn their suspension into an opportunity for learning and growth. Students will increase their awareness of causes for suspension, improve decision-making skills, identify trusted school staff, and receive tobacco and other substance use education and intervention. Healthy Relationships, Consent, Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Social Media Awareness topics will be covered as needed. Individual sessions will be offered if groups are contra-indicated. Please consult with Jessamy in order to assess the best fit for student support.

• Ongoing group enrollment: sessions will run on Wednesdays for one to four sessions/weeks, 3:30 - 5 p.m., in person at the district office or virtually.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Referral Process (Disciplinary Only):
  • Step 1: Administrator speaks with parent and student re: ATS referral. Please obtain verbal consent when you speak to the parent and document in Aeries.
  • Step 2: Admin completes this form: ATS/SUP Referral Form 2026-27
  • Step 3: Admin initiates Informed K-12 (ATS) form, which then gets sent to TUPE team to fill in the dates and parent/guardian email.
  • Step 4: Team contacts parent and student re: meeting information.
• Informed K-12 ATS Forms: ATS English - 2026-27 | ATS Spanish - 2026-27
• Facilitator/s: Jessamy Cadigan, Jonathan Lopez

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Alternative to Suspension (ATS) - Flex

ATS Flex is a strength-based group utilizing restorative justice practices, allowing students to turn their suspension into an opportunity for learning and growth. Students will increase their awareness of causes for suspension, improve decision-making skills, identify supportive school staff, and receive tobacco and other substance use education and intervention. Healthy Relationships, Consent, Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Social Media Awareness topics will be covered as needed. Individual sessions will be offered if groups are contra-indicated. ATS Flex is a virtual during school, on-campus option that is shorter in duration. The site must ensure the student has a confidential space to attend the group as well as a device with a working mic and camera.

• Ongoing group enrollment: sessions will run on Wednesdays for one to four sessions/weeks depending on the support needed, 10:12 - 11:01 HHS; 10:17 - 11:02 MHS, BHS, AHS; 10:17 - 11:06 a.m. CHS, SMHS virtually on site. PHS 11:30-12, Tuesday or Thursday.
• Language interpretation available with advance notice.
• Site must provide confidential space and device for student to attend the program
• Referral Process (Disciplinary Only):
  • Step 1: Administrator speaks with parent and student re: ATS referral. Please obtain verbal consent when you speak to the parent and document in Aeries.
  • Step 2: Admin completes this form: ATS/SUP Referral Form 2026-27
  • Step 3: Admin initiates Informed K-12 (ATS) form, which then gets sent to TUPE team to fill in the dates and parent/guardian email.
  • Step 4: Team contacts parent and student re: meeting information.
• Informed K-12 Flex-ATS Forms: Flex ATS English - 2026-27 | Flex ATS Spanish - 2026-27
• Facilitators: Jessamy Cadigan, Jonathan Lopez

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Alternative to Suspension – Power of Language (ATS-PL)

ATS-PL is a therapeutic group that will explore the student's choice to continue to use dehumanizing language in the context of the school setting, despite previous attempts by staff to interrupt behavior, and discuss the impact of that choice and the power of language.

• Group sessions will run on two Thursdays after school, in person or virtually at the District Office, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. Students must attend both sessions.
• Referral Process (Disciplinary Only):
  • Step 1: Administrator speaks with guardian and student re: ATS-PL referral.
  • Step 2: Admin completes this form: ATS/SUP Referral Form 2026-27
  • Step 3: Admin gets consent from guardian and documents with K-12.
  • Step 4: TUPE team reminds student before start of session.
• Informed K-12 DL ATS Forms: ATS PL English 2026-27 | ATS DL Spanish 2026-27
• Facilitators: Jessamy Cadigan, Jonathan Lopez

 

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El Centro/Supporting Teens with Substance Use in Spanish

The Freedom Center's (El Centro de Libertad) mission is to help individuals, families, and communities of all cultures impacted by substance abuse and related issues achieve and maintain health, strength, and recovery. These meetings will be held at your site. 

• Self-referral: Complete ATS/SUP Referral Form 2026-27
• Disciplinary referral:
  • Step 1: Administrator speaks with parent and student re: El Centro referral. Please obtain verbal consent when you speak to the parent and document in Aeries. 
  • Step 2:  Admin completes ATS/SUP Referral Form 2026-27
  • Step 3: TUPE team completes El Centro referral form
  • Step 4: El Centro or Team contacts parent and student re: meeting information.

Facilitator: Eliazar Buenrostro 

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Tier 1 On-Site Support with videos on Vaping, THC, Nicotine and Triangulum Use

Note: a Toolkit will be provided to you after you complete the referral process.

The TUPE Program supports the use of alternatives to suspension to address youth substance use. Alternatives to suspension (ATS) are disciplinary strategies and interventions that address a student's behavior without removing them from the educational environment.

• Self-referral: Complete ATS/SUP Referral Form 2026-27
• Disciplinary referral:
  • Step 1: Administrator speaks with parent and student re: the on site on-line referral. Please obtain verbal consent when you speak to the parent and document in Aeries.
  • Step 2: Admin completes ATS/SUP Referral Form 2026-27
  • Step 3: Admin facilitates the time, space, and monitors student completion of the on-line intervention
  • Step 4: Admin contacts parent and student re: meeting information.
• Facilitator: Site Administrator with Jessamy Cadigan's support

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Family Support

 

Supporting Teens with Substance Use

For parents or guardians whose teen is using marijuana, nicotine or drinking.

• The group session will run on 2 evenings online
• Sign-up: TBD
• Facilitator: TBD

Parent Connect

Parent Connect is a parent support group for parent(s)/caregiver(s) of teens who are experiencing difficulties with attendance, behavior, vaping, cannabis & other substance use, and/or other related stressors.

• Ongoing group enrollment
• Group sessions, at SMHS, will run on Tuesdays ( English & Spanish) from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
• Sign-up: TBD
• Facilitators:
  • • English Group: Wendy Daniels, LCSW, PPSC
    • Spanish Group: Lucero Govea, AMTF and Nancy Yance Chavez, LMFT