VICTOR CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT CONCUSSION MANAGEMENT INFORMED CONSENT FORM
The New York State Board of Education recognizes the seriousness of head trauma of any sort, in and out of school, and the potential for evolving injury to the brain, especially during the first weeks following injury where re-injury can result in more severe injury and long term disability. The Board recognizes that well-informed parents, athletes, and staff provide the greatest prevention and management measures to minimize risks to all children and adolescents with early recognition, prompt response, and proper long-term recovery of head injury. The New York State Board of Education further recognizes the importance to provide all students with any degree of concussion appropriate safeguards and graduated challenges for physical activity and cognitive instruction during the recovery phase.
Accordingly, the Victor Central School District will adhere to all state and federal laws governing the rights of students with special medical needs and will take reasonable measures to work with both the private health care provider and the family to ensure the health and safety of all students including children with concussions. This policy encompasses any physician documented traumatic concussion, and/or witnessed or suspected concussion by the school nurse or district athletic trainer or other trained staff. The reasonable measures may include, but are not limited to:
- Providing training for health and athletic staff, parents, and students about prevention strategies, the risks of head injury associated with sports, proper use and maintenance of personal protective equipment and devices, good sporting techniques and sportsmanship, and the importance of honest and prompt reporting of head, neck, face, or spine injuries to an adult. Education will also address the aftermath of any injury to the head, inside or outside of school, and the importance of cognitive and physical rest during the healing period and will be available to all staff with a role in student instruction.
- Having standing emergency medical protocols for athletic staff and club supervisors created by the district physician that include immediate removal of a student with suspected concussion from all further physical activity until cleared by a medical provider, as well as proper parental notification;
- Maintaining a concussion management team, including a concussion management coordinator to manage individual students, as selected by the superintendent (or designate) to include key personnel in academics, administration, physical education, athletics, and health services to oversee and implement concussion management protocols at each building level and for the district at large to assure proper management during recovery.
- Ensuring appropriate and reasonable building adjustments and behavioral intervention responses are in place by the educational team during recovery which may include, among others, short term academic adjustments for up to four weeks without a 504 plan and up to ten weeks (one school quarter) without an IEP or 504 Plan when needed for such adjustments has been determined by the concussion management team based on private medical provider documentation.
- In situations where the district does not have the ability to monitor a child’s progress return to physical activity, such as during recesses, providing writer notification and information to assist the family and family physician of their need to monitor the injured student independently and outside of school.
- Implementing in its concussion management protocol with standardized measures of assessment of injured students and adherence to a return to mental and physical exertion on a progressive program consistent with guidelines from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and the New York Association for Brain Injured Children and in accordance with any laws governing the State of New York.
