The Board recognizes that concussions and head injuries are one of the most commonly reported injuries in children and adolescents who participate in sports and recreational activities. The physical and mental well-being of District students is a primary concern. As such, the District supports the proper evaluation and management of concussion injuries.

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) that occurs when normal brain functioning is disrupted by a blow or jolt to the head or body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. Recovery from concussion and its symptoms will vary. Avoiding re-injury and over-exertion until fully recovered are the cornerstones of proper concussion management.

The District is authorized, at its discretion, to establish a Concussion Management Team (CMT) which may be composed of the certified athletic director, a school nurse, the school physician, a coach of an interscholastic team, a certified athletic trainer or such other appropriate personnel as designated by the District. The CMT will oversee and implement the District's concussion policy, including the requirement that all school coaches, physical education teachers, nurses, and certified athletic trainers who work with and/or provide instruction to pupils engaged in school-sponsored athletic activities complete training relating to MTBIs. Furthermore, every CMT may establish and implement a program which provides information on MTBIs to parents/guardians throughout each school year.

Each school coach, physical education teacher, school nurse, and certified athletic trainer who works with and/or provides instruction to students in school-sponsored athletic activities will complete a course of instruction every two years relating to recognizing the symptoms of concussions or MTBIs and monitoring and seeking proper medical treatment for students who suffer from a concussion or MTBI.

Components of the training will include:

The course can be completed by means of instruction approved by New York State Education Department (NYSED) which include, but are not limited to, courses provided online and by teleconference. The CMT will utilize a system to document all required training for District staff. Because concussion symptoms may manifest themselves in any setting, all school staff will be encouraged to take the online training and be alert for students who may display or report concussion symptoms.

The District will include the following information on MTBIs or concussions in any permission or consent form or similar document that may be required from a parent/guardian for a student's participation in interscholastic sports. Information will include:

The District provides a link on its website to this list of information from the NYSED's and Department of Health's websites.

The District requires the immediate removal from all athletic activities of any student who has sustained, or is believed to have sustained, a MTBI or concussion. Any student demonstrating signs, symptoms, or behaviors consistent with a concussion while participating in a class, extracurricular activity, or interscholastic athletic activity will be removed from the class, game, or activity and must be evaluated as soon as possible by an appropriate health care professional. This removal must occur based on display of symptoms regardless of whether the injury occurred inside or outside of school. If there is any doubt as to whether the student has sustained a concussion, it will be presumed that the student has been injured until proven otherwise. The District will notify the student's parents or guardians and recommend appropriate evaluation and monitoring.

The District may allow credentialed District staff to use validated neurocognitive computerized testing as a concussion assessment tool to obtain baseline and post-concussion performance data. These tools are not a replacement for a medical evaluation to diagnose and treat a concussion.

The student will not return to physical activity (including athletics, physical education class, and recess) until he or she has been symptom-free for at least 24 hours, and has been evaluated and received written authorization from a licensed physician. In accordance with Commissioner's regulations, the District's Medical Director will give final clearance on a return to activity for extra-class athletics. All authorizations will be kept on file in the student's permanent health record. The standards for return to athletic activity will also apply to injuries that occur outside of school. School staff should be aware that students may exhibit concussion symptoms caused by injuries from outside activities and that these visible symptoms also indicate a removal from play.

The District will follow any directives issued by the student's treating physician with regard to limitations and restrictions on school and athletic activities for the student. The District's Medical Director may also formulate a standard protocol for treatment of students with concussions during the school day.

In accordance with NYSED guidelines, this policy will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary in accordance with NYSED guidelines. The Superintendent, in consultation with the District's Medical Director and other appropriate staff, may develop regulations and protocols for strategies to prevent concussions, the identification of concussions, and procedures for removal from and return to activities or academics.

Education Law § 305(42) 8 NYCRR §§ 135.4 and 136.5 Guidelines for Concussion Management in the School Setting, NYSED Guidance Document, June 2012