Clarke County BOE Tackles Student Medical Plans and after-school programs

officials reviewed a set of medical emergency plans for students at the Board of Education's monthly meeting held Thursday.

Officials asked for a review of medical procedures, following an allergy scare that sent a child to the hospital in August.

“This is something that's serious and I would hope that the teachers are taking this serious,” said board member Vernon Payne.

The student, who was allergic to peanuts, had touched a sandwich at lunch, and immediately had difficulty breathing, according to Deputy Superintendent Ernest Hardaway.

“We had to treat him, and didn't know what was wrong with him,” Hardaway said. “He was exhibiting the symptoms, but the teacher had sat with him at lunch and knew that he hadn't eaten anything. She was able to find out later on he touched someone's sandwich.”

At the beginning of every school year, parents fill out health forms listing a variety of their child's health issues. The forms are reviewed by school nurses to make sure emergency contact information and treatment plans are correct and up-to-date, Hardway said.

To keep track of student heath issues, teachers are given access to the same information through a database that lists every student's medical care plan, he said.

“For people who need to know, like principals and assistant principals, other personell and teachers, they can go in and look at that care plan,” Hardaway said. “We have care plans for a variety of different health issues, we have one for asthma one for allergy. We have one for hemophilia, we have one for sickle cell anemia and diabetes and the list goes on and on.”

Every bus driver is also trained in the use of CPR, and are notified if they have a student with a specific medical care plan, he said.

“In most instances, rather than trying to administer medication, drivers are told to simply pull-over, safely stop the bus, look at the care plan or action plan and determine whether it's appropriate at that time to call 911.”

The district is also working on having a CPR trainer in every building so there at least three individuals trained in CPR at every school, he said.

In other business the board approved:

• Three 21st Century Community Learning Grants for elementary, middle and high schools. The community learning grants, which totally $350,000, will be used to fund various after-school programs across the district.

• A contract with Athens-based J House Media to construct a local and regional jobs website to help students search for entry-level jobs and post resumes.

• Contracts to begin pre-construction planning and services for future projects at , and elementary schools, the new Maxine P. Easom elementary school and

• The 2011-2012 Code of Student Conduct

• Hired Linda Meggers as a consultant for reapportionment of the Board of Education Districts for $50 an hour, not to exceed $1,200.