Vape, noise sensors new to HPHS, DHS bathrooms

(Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correctly state that the Halo Smart Sensors have been installed. An earlier version of this story reported they were yet to be installed.)

In an effort to combat student vaping and improve campus safety, Highland Park and Deerfield high schools have installed Halo Smart Sensors in bathrooms. 

Township District 113 officials say the technology can detect substances like nicotine and THC while also monitoring noise levels linked to potential conflicts, giving staff real-time alerts when issues may be unfolding behind closed doors.

The district made the plan to install the sensors known in a community email sent April 7. 

Lane Linder, the district’s director of security, explained that Halo Smart Sensors provide “real-time” alerts based on air quality, temperature and sound abnormalities. Alerts could indicate vaping, smoking, bullying, aggression, violence or occupancy issues, said Linder, who helped champion the installations. 

D113 isn’t the first district to install these sensors. In fact, Halo Smart Sensors are used in more than 10,000 schools nationwide, according to the Halo website.  

“It’s quite common,” said Karen Warner, D113 chief communications officer. “Many districts have these sensors to detect and deter the use of vaping devices, as the scent is easy to conceal.” 

In addition to detecting vape activity, the sensors can detect air quality, smoke and THC products and can listen for certain phrases or decibel levels, Warner said. 

“If the word ‘help’ is said, it will trigger the alarm to go off alerting security and staff,” Warner said. “It can also detect if too many people are in one space based on volume or decibel level.” 

The sensor does not have a camera nor does it record audio or video. Rather, it catches a particular noise level that could indicate an issue.

When an alert is triggered, it goes directly to D113 security and staff to “quickly minimize potential harm and prevent incidents from escalating,” Linder said. 

The installation of the new technology comes as many school districts, in addition to D113, respond to student vaping and look to add an additional layer of security, said Linder. 

“Using more layers of security is always better because you can’t rely on just one layer of security,” Warner said. “This technology has been available for five to eight years, but it’s improved over time.” 

Linder added, “It’s a way to promote a healthy environment for our students by monitoring unhealthy behaviors in spaces where there is limited supervision. As the sensors monitor aggression detection, occupancy detection, as well as environmental standards — like temperature and air quality monitoring — they are part of a bigger effort to improve the monitoring of our facilities.” 

In the first year of installment, Linder hopes the sensors will identify incidents of vaping and give staff an opportunity to work with students in response.

He also hopes that the sensors will prevent bullying, which “takes place in environments where staff are not present,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Warner hopes that the sensors are a deterrent to vaping devices within a year of installment. 

Linder said success will be measured by monitoring data from the devices and enabling healthier students on campus.

If sensors do not achieve intended results, Linder plans to re-evaluate D113’s commitment to these devices and make sure services provide the benefit the school district wants. 

Security layers

The Halo sensors are just the latest in a string of recent security improvments across the district.

A security director and weapons detectors were introduced at Highland Park and Deerfield high schools to begin the 2023-’24 school year, just a few months after a gun was brought to HPHS.

The district also added K9 detection teams, which feature dogs that can detect explosives and weapons, a year later.

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