Policy No. 6145.9
Instruction
Activities
Concussions
1.
Training.
The Superintendent or
designee shall make available training approved by the chief medical officer of
the State on how to recognize the symptoms of a concussion or brain injury and
how to seek proper medical treatment for a concussion or brain injury to all
coaches of school athletic teams.
2.
Education.
The Superintendent or
designee shall require that concussion and brain injury information be provided
on an annual basis to students and the students’ parents or guardians prior to
such students initiating practice or competition. The information provided to
students and the students’ parents or guardians shall include, but need not be
limited to:
a.
the
signs and symptoms of a concussion;
b.
the
risks posed by sustaining a concussion; and
c.
the
actions a student should take in response to sustaining a concussion, including
the notification of his or her coaches.
3.
Response to Concussions.
a.
Removal. A student who participates on a school athletic
team shall be removed from a practice or game when he or she is reasonably
suspected of having sustained a concussion or brain injury in such practice or
game after observation by a coach or a licensed health care professional who is
professionally affiliated with or contracted by the school.
b.
Return-to-Play. A student who has been removed from a
practice or game as a result of being reasonably suspected of having sustained
a concussion or brain injury shall not be permitted to participate in any school
supervised team athletic activities involving physical exertion, including, but
not limited to, practices or games, until the student: (i) has been evaluated
by a licensed health care professional, (ii) has received written and signed
clearance to resume participation in athletic activities from the licensed
health care professional, and (iii) has submitted the written and signed
clearance to resume participation in athletic activities to the school
accompanied by written permission to resume participation from the student’s
parent or guardian.
The coach or
administration may require that the student’s return to full activities be on a
stepwise progression back to full participation, or otherwise establish
conditions for return to participation that are more restrictive than those
defined by the licensed health care professional if the coach or an
administrator reasonably deems such to be appropriate.
The signature of an
individual who represents that he or she is a licensed health care professional
on a written clearance to resume participation that is provided to the school
shall be deemed to be conclusive and reliable evidence that the individual who
signed the clearance is a licensed health care professional. The school is not
required to determine or verify the individual’s qualifications.
c.
Parent Notification. If a student is reasonably suspected
after observation of having sustained a concussion or brain injury and is
removed from an athletic activity per the preceding paragraph, the parent or guardian
of the student shall be notified by the Superintendent or designee of the date
and approximate time of the injury suffered by the student, the signs and
symptoms of a concussion or brain injury that were observed, and any actions
taken to treat the student.
d.
Return to Learn.
The Superintendent or designee shall develop a return to learn protocol
for students who have sustained a concussion. The return to learn protocol
shall recognize that students who have sustained a concussion and returned to
school may need informal or formal accommodations, modifications of curriculum,
and monitoring by medical or academic staff until the student is fully
recovered.
4.
Responsibility of Coaches.
Coaches shall comply
with this policy and apply their safety and injury prevention training. A coach
who fails to do so is subject to disciplinary action, including but not limited
to termination of employment.
5.
Students and Parents.
It is recognized that coaches cannot
be aware of every incident in which a student has symptoms of a possible
concussion or brain injury. As such,
students and their parents have a responsibility to honestly report symptoms of
a possible concussion or brain injury to the student’s coaches on a timely
basis.
Legal Reference: Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 71-9102 to 71-9106
Date of Adoption: August 15th, 2011
Revised: June 16th,
2014
6145.9
Regulation
Instruction
Activities
Concussions
Concussions:
Return to Learn Protocol
Students who sustain a concussion and return
to school may need informal or formal accommodations, modifications of
curriculum, and monitoring by medical or academic staff until the student is
fully recovered.
The school administration of
Ashland-Greenwood Public Schools adopts the NDE Guidance entitled “Bridging the
Gap from Concussion to the Classroom,” [a] and accompanying
Appendix,[b] as its return to
learn protocol, with the recognition that each student who has sustained a
concussion will require an individualized response.
a http://www.education.ne.gov/sped/birsst/BRIDGING%20THE%20GAP%20February%202014%20final.pdf.
b http://www.education.ne.gov/sped/birsst/Concussion%20Appendix%20final%20February%202014.pdf.