Lake County Gazette

Freshmen and sophomores at Coal City High School attended a session on Wednesday, Aug. 27 during Coalers Collaboration Time that focused on the dangers of vaping.

Jennifer Shell, health occupations program coordinator and lead instructor at Grundy Area Vocational Center, joined Coal City Police Chief Mike Imhof to present to the students. Shell addressed the health risks associated with vaping, while Imhof discussed legal issues related to its use.

Assistant Principal Corey Mikula expressed appreciation for the presenters' efforts. "The school was grateful to the presenters for taking the time to educate the students," said Mikula.

Coal City High School is part of Coal City Community Unit School District 1, which serves Grundy and Will counties and includes several schools in its system such as Coal City Early Childhood Center, Coal City Elementary School, Coal City Intermediate School, and Coal City Middle School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district has a staff of 153 teachers earning an average salary of $69,297, with nearly 78 percent women and no teacher reporting more than ten absences per year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to state data, 86.9 percent of students in the district are White, with Hispanic students making up about 9.6 percent; Black and Asian students each account for less than one percent (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, spending per student was $21,619 for a total expenditure of over $47 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).