Head Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury

There are many types of injuries that can occur to the brain, including those resulting from a stroke, lack of oxygen, infection, tumor, surgery, or trauma. The most common injury in school is from trauma. A concussion is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as “a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.” https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/basics/concussion_whatis.html

If your student sustains a head injury, whether it occurs outside of school, at school, or during a school sponsored sport or activity, please contact your school nurse to help support and direct your child’s recovery. Nurses will collaborate with counselors and teachers to develop a “return to learn” plan. If a student is also a high school athlete, the athletic trainers will also be a part of this team, and direct the “return to play” protocol in collaboration with the student’s health care provider. School psychologists, speech language pathologists, and occupational therapists may also collaborate if the recovery process time goes beyond general expectations or there are complications.

If the school based team would like more in depth advice in management of a student with any type of head injury, whether it is acquired or the student is born with it, the BrainSTEPS committee is available for consultation. This is a committee with specialized training who can provide consultation to the school team in a personalized recovery plan for every student.

For more information about BrainSTEPS, please contact Dr. Stephanie Crawford at: [email protected]

Resources to support students with brain injuries:

https://www.cde.state.co.us/healthandwellness/braininjury

http://cokidswithbraininjury.com/

https://www.brainsteps.net/co/default.aspx

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In compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and Colorado law, the Douglas County School District RE-1 does not unlawfully discriminate against otherwise qualified students, employees, applicants for employment, or members of the public on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services. Discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on age, genetic information, and conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth is also prohibited in accordance with state and/or federal law. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. The School District's Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator to address complaints alleging sexual harassment under Title IX is Aaron Henderson, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, [email protected], 303-387-0127.

Outside Agencies

Complaints regarding violations of Title VI, (race, national origin), Title IX (sex, gender), Section 504/ADA (handicap or disability), may be filed directly with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204. Complaints regarding violations of Title VII (employment) and the ADEA (prohibiting age discrimination in employment) may be filed directly with the Federal Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, or the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1050, Denver, CO 80202.

NOTICE OF DESTRUCTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION RECORDS

Special Education records which have been collected by Douglas County School District related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of special education in the district, must be maintained under state and federal laws for the period of five (5) years after special education services have ended for the student. Special education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, or completes his/her educational program at age 21, or moves from the district. This notification is to inform parents/guardians and former students of Douglas County School District's intent to destroy the special education records of students who exited special education services as of June 30, 2016. These records will be destroyed in accordance with state law unless the parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student notifies the school district otherwise. After five years, the records are no longer useful to the district, but may be useful to the parent/guardian or former student in applying for social security benefits, rehabilitation services, college entrance, etc. The parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student may request a copy of the records by requesting the records at this link ( Douglas County School District Transcripts and Records Requests ).