School Board Policies
4085 Concussions and Head Injuries
The School Board recognizes that concussions and head injuries may occur in students who participate in co-curricular activities. The Board acknowledges the risk of significant injury when a concussion or head injury is not properly evaluated and managed. The Board recognizes that the majority of concussions will occur in “collision” sports. However, in order to ensure the safety of all District student-athletes, this policy will apply to all competitive athletic activities as identified by the athletic directors at the middle and high school levels.
Duty to Educate and Inform
Consistent with the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA), the District will utilize recommended guidelines, procedures and other pertinent information to inform and educate all District coaches, student athletes, and parents/guardians of the nature and risk of concussions or head injuries, including the dangers associated with continuing to play after a concussion or head injury.
Annually, the District will distribute head injury and concussion information to all parents/guardians of student-athletes in competitive sport activities prior to the student-athlete’s initial practice or competition.
All middle and high school coaches, including volunteers who directly supervise students, will complete training as recommended and/or provided by the NHIAA, the New Hampshire Department of Education, and/or other pertinent organizations. Training for experienced coaches shall occur at least once every two years. All coaches of competitive sport activities will comply with NHIAA recommended procedures for the management of head injuries and concussions.
Each spring, the athletic director/designee shall review any changes that have been made in procedures required for concussion and head injury management or other serious injury by consulting with the NHIAA, medical personnel, or other reliable resources. If there are any updated procedures, they will be adopted and used for the upcoming school year.
Identified sports include all NHIAA-sanctioned activities, including cheer/dance squads, and any other middle or high school sponsored sports or activities as may be determined by the school administration.
On an annual basis, concussion and head injury information shall be distributed to the student-athlete and the athlete’s parent/guardian prior to the student-athlete’s initial try-out, practice, or competition. This information may be included with the parent permission forms that allow students to participate in co-curricular athletics.The Superintendent/designees will keep abreast of changes in standards regarding concussions and implement appropriate professional development activities.
Removal From Play and Protocol For Return To Play
Any coach, official, licensed athletic trainer, or health care provider who suspects that a student-athlete has sustained a head injury in a practice or game shall immediately remove the student-athlete from play. A student-athlete who has been removed from play shall not return to play on the same day or until he/she is evaluated by a health care provider and receives written medical clearance and authorization from that health care provider to return to play. The student-athlete shall also present written permission from a parent/guardian to return to play (refer to page 17). Athletic Directors shall develop and implement an appropriate “return to play, medical clearance” form.
The District may limit a student-athlete’s participation as determined by the student’s treating health care provider.
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 by the Principal/designee. Parents/guardians are encouraged to contact the school Principal/designee should the concussion occur during a non-school activity. Teachers shall 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 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 federal law and board policies.
Education in the General Curriculum
To the extent possible, the Board encourages the administration to implement concussion awareness and education into the 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.
School and Playground Activities
Any staff member who observes or suspects that a student has sustained a head injury shall immediately contact the school nurse. The nurse shall then implement appropriate standards of care for the student and report the injury to the parents as soon as possible.
Legal References:
RSA 200:49, Head Injury Policies for Student Sports
RSA 200:50, Removal of Student-Athlete
Adopted: 10/2012, Revised 01/2014
5014 Hazing
No person associated with any organization sanctioned by the School District shall engage in or be associated with hazing, nor shall any such person participate in any secret fraternity or organization that is related to a District-sanctioned activity.
Student hazing means any act directed toward a student, or any coercion or intimidation of a student, to act or participate in, or submit to any act, when:
- Such act is likely, or would be perceived by a reasonable person, as likely to cause physical or psychological injury to any person; and
- Such act is a condition of initiation into, admission into, continued membership in, or association with any organization, even if the student willingly participates in the activity.
“Endanger the physical health” shall include, but is not limited to, such physical acts as whipping, beating, branding, exposure to elements, forced consumption of food, alcohol, or drugs, or any forced physical activity, outside of that associated with acceptable athletic conditioning appropriate to the sport, that could adversely affect the physical health or safety of an individual.
“Endanger the mental health” shall include any activity which would subject the individual to mental stress such as sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact, or any forced activity that would affect the dignity of the individual.
Students or employees who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion for students and termination for employees. All incidents of hazing should be reported to school authorities. The Superintendent/designee shall report to local law enforcement officials incidents of reported hazing to which he/she has knowledge.