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AS97 – Management of Concussions and Traumatic Head Injuries

  • Effective: 9/27/2011
  • Revision: 2/27/18
  • Reviewed: 9/22/2015
  1. Board Directive
    The Board recognizes the importance of providing education about concussions and head injuries for coaches, school personnel, volunteers, parents, and students, and seeks to provide a safe return to activity for all students following any injury, but particularly after a concussion or other traumatic head injury.  In order to effectively and consistently manage these injuries, procedures have been developed to aid in ensuring that students with traumatic head injuries are identified, treated and referred appropriately, receive appropriate follow-up medical care during the school day, and are fully recovered prior to returning to activity. The Board delegates to the Administration responsibility for policy and procedures to manage concussions and traumatic head injuries.
  2. Administrative Policy
    Management of concussions and traumatic head injuries in Jordan School District shall be administered in accordance with the following administrative policy provisions, and in compliance with  Utah Code 26-53 and Utah State Board of Education Rule R277-614:

    1. All Sporting Events (Including High School)
      1. “Sporting events” shall be defined to include games, classes, tryouts and activities that take place during the regular school day, as well as extracurricular athletic activities sponsored by the school.
      2. The Jordan School District document Guidelines for Management of Sport-Related Concussions and Head Injuries shall be followed in evaluation of head injuries and in determining appropriate action and response.
      3. A copy of this policy, as well as the Guidelines for Management of Sport-Related Concussions and Head Injuries, shall be posted on the District website.
      4. All appropriate staff shall attend a yearly in-service meeting in which procedures for managing sporting event-related concussions are reviewed.
      5. Coaches, teachers, school employees, representatives or volunteers shall remove a student from a sporting event or other physical activity, including recess, field day, or physical education class, if the student is suspected of sustaining a concussion or a traumatic head injury.
      6. In the event a student sustains a head injury during the school day or an extracurricular athletic activity, that student’s parent or guardian must be notified using the form provided by District nursing staff.
      7. The injured student is prohibited from continued participation in a sporting event until the student is evaluated by a trained, qualified health care professional who provides the school with a written statement stating that they have successfully completed a continuing education course in the evaluation and management of a concussion and that the student is cleared to resume participation in the sporting event.All Sporting Events (Including High School)
    2. School-Sponsored Extracurricular Athletic Activities (High School Only)
      1. A copy of Guidelines for Management of Sport-Related Concussions and Head Injuries shall be provided to parents of students participating in school-sponsored extracurricular athletic activities.
      2. The school must obtain the signature of a parent or legal guardian of the child acknowledging that the parent or guardian has read, understands, and agrees to abide by the concussion and head injury policy and guidelines.
      3. Students may not participate in a school-sponsored extracurricular athletic activity until a signed acknowledgement has been submitted by a parent or legal guardian as described in above.
    3. Academics
      1. Annual training will be provided to licensed employees to help educators better understand the potential academic impacts of concussions and traumatic head injuries on students and the accommodations available to educators.
      2. Educators should work with families to help make appropriate accommodations to prevent students from suffering an academic penalty as a result of a concussion or traumatic head injury, and that such injuries are not exacerbated through the strain of coursework. Based on recommendations from a physician, student accommodations may include, but are not limited to:
        1. Assembling a 504 team to determine eligibility and potentially develop a 504 plan. This option involves additional educators and parents in a formal process to determine appropriate accommodations as a team.
        2. Assigning a “P” grade in place of a letter grade in order to provide credit without affecting the student’s GPA.
        3. Assigning an “I” grade in place of a letter grade in order to give students more time to complete coursework.
        4. Allowing additional time to complete coursework.
        5. Reducing the coursework required.
        6. Developing a Health Plan according to policy AS88 Health Care Services for Students with Special Needs.
        7. Continuing coursework through the Home and Hospital program.
        8. Freezing a grade.
        9. Providing a variety of assessments.
        10. Allowing for oral work in place of written work.