JLCJ - Concussions and Head Injuries
I. Overview:
The School Board adopts this Policy to provide guidelines and pertinent information to inform and educate coaches, athletes, and parents/guardians of the nature and risk of concussion and head injury including the dangers associated with continuing to play after a concussion or head injury. This Policy will apply to student-athletes, a student involved in any intramural sports program conducted outside the regular teaching day or competitive sports program between schools in grades 4-12, engaged in student sports, intramural sports programs conducted outside the regular teaching day or competitive sports programs between schools in grades 4-12.
The School District will implement New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA) recommended guidelines for the management of head injuries and concussions for athletic programs and activities within the scope of this Policy.
All coaches, including volunteers, will complete training as recommended and/or provided by NHIAA and New Hampshire Department of Education.
Annually, prior to the student-athlete’s initial practice or competition, the School District will distribute to all student-athletes covered by this Policy and their parents/guardians a head injury and concussion information sheet.
Each spring, the athletic director or designee shall review any changes that have been made in the NHIAA guidelines for concussion and head injury management. Any updated procedures will be adopted and used in the next school year.
II. Removal from Practice or Play and Protocol for Return to Practice or Play:
Any coach, official, licensed athletic trainer, or health care provider who suspects that a student-athlete has sustained a concussion or head injury in a practice or game shall trigger the immediate removal of the student-athlete from play.
A student-athlete who has been removed from practice or play shall not return to practice or play on the same day and until he/she is evaluated by a health care provider and receives medical clearance and written authorization from that health care provider to return to practice or play. “Health care provider” means a person who is licensed, certified, or otherwise statutorily authorized by the State of New Hampshire to provide medical treatment and is trained in the evaluation and management of concussions. The student-athlete shall also present written permission from a parent/guardian to return to practice or play.
Even if the student-athlete has medical clearance and written parental permission to return to play, the student-athlete must also be cleared to play under this Policy and the School District’s guidelines and protocols for return to play.
If the student-athlete exhibits signs and symptoms of a concussion after returning to practice or play, the student-athlete will not be allowed to continue the activity and the parent/guardian will be notified.
III. Concussion Awareness and Education:
To the extent possible, the School Board encourages the administration to implement concussion awareness and education in the School District’s physical education and/or health education curriculum. The administrative decision will take into account all relevant considerations, including time, resources, access to materials, and other pertinent factors.
IV. Academic Issues in Concussed Students:
In the event a student is concussed, regardless of whether the concussion was a result of a school-related or non-school-related activity, School District staff should be mindful that the concussion may affect the student’s ability to learn. In the event a student has a concussion, that student’s teachers will be notified. Teachers should report to the school nurse if the student appears to have any difficulty with academic tasks that the teacher believes may be related to the concussion. The school nurse will notify the student’s parents and treating physician. Administrators and School District staff will work to establish a protocol and course of action to ensure the student is able to maintain his/her academic responsibilities while recovering from the concussion.
Section 504 accommodations may be developed in accordance with applicable law and School Board policies.
See Also:
JLCJ-R
Legal Reference(s):
RSA 200:49, Head Injury Policies for Student Sports RSA 200:50, Removal of Student Athlete
RSA 200:51, Limitation of Liability
RSA 200:52, Definitions (amended in June 2013)
First Read: November 15, 2012
Second Read: December 6, 2012
Adopted: December 6, 2012
Revised: June 13, 2013, September 5, 2013
Last Review: September 5, 2013