It is the policy of the School Board that the risk of student injury be considered and addressed in the planning and implementation of every student activity sponsored by the Board. The Board therefore directs and requires that before beginning practice for an interscholastic sports activity, including cheerleading, the coach of the activity shall provide the parent of each student athlete in grades 5-12 and each student athlete in grades 5-12 with the information sheet on Concussion and Head Injury and acknowledgement form issued by the Indiana Department of Education and shall require the student’s parent and the student to sign and return the form acknowledging the receipt of the information from the Indiana Department of Education on Concussion and Head Injury. If the coach of an intramural sports activity elects to or is required to comply with I.C. 20-34-7, s/he shall provide the parent of each student athlete in grades 5-12 and each student athlete in grades 5-12 with the information sheet on Concussion and Head Injury and acknowledgement form issued by the Indiana Department of Education and shall require the student’s parent and the student to sign and return to the coach the form acknowledging the receipt of the information from the Indiana Department of Education on Concussion and Head Injury.

The Board also directs and requires that before beginning practice for an interscholastic sports activity or cheerleading, the coach of the activity shall provide to each student athlete and his/her parent or legal guardian (unless the student is at least age eighteen (18) or is an emancipated minor) the information sheet on Sudden Cardiac Arrest and acknowledgement form issued by the Indiana Department of Education and require the student athlete and his/her parent or legal guardian (unless the student is at least age eighteen (18) or is an emancipated minor) to sign and return to the coach the form acknowledging the receipt of the information from the Indiana Department of Education on Sudden Cardiac Arrest.

Additionally, the Board directs and requires that before beginning practice for any interscholastic or intramural sports activity, including cheerleading, the coach of the activity may provide the parent of each student participating in the activity and the student participating in the activity with the information sheet on Concussion and Head Injury and acknowledgement form issued by the Indiana Department of Education and shall require the student’s parent and the student to sign and return to the coach the form acknowledging the receipt of the information from the Indiana Department of Education on Concussion and Head Injury.

The coach/sponsor shall maintain an original of each signed acknowledgement form for each student and shall not allow the student athlete to participate in the sport until the signed acknowledgement form(s) from the parent (as required above) and student is/are properly executed and returned.

A student athlete in grades 5-12 who participates in an interscholastic sport, including cheerleading, and is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game shall be removed from play at the time of the injury and may not return to play until s/he has been seen and evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries, the coach receives a written clearance from the licensed healthcare provider who evaluated the student athlete that the s/he can safely return to participation in the sport or activity, and not less than twenty-four (24) hours have passed since s/he was removed from play.

Additionally, the Board directs and requires that:

A student athlete of any age who participates in any interscholastic or intramural sports activity, including cheerleading, and is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game shall be removed from play at the time of the injury and may not return to play until s/he has been seen and evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries, the coach receives a written clearance from the licensed healthcare provider who evaluated the student athlete that s/he can safely return to participation in the sport or activity, and not less than twenty-four (24) hours have passed since s/he was removed from play.

A student participating in an interscholastic sports activity or cheerleading who is suspected of experiencing a symptom of sudden cardiac arrest in a practice for an interscholastic sports activity or cheerleading or in an interscholastic sports activity or cheerleading shall be removed from practice or play at the time that the symptom is identified, and the parent or legal guardian of the student athlete shall be notified of the student athlete's symptoms (unless the student is at least age eighteen (18) or is an emancipated minor). A student athlete who has been removed from practice or play may not return to practice or play until the coach has received verbal permission from a parent or legal guardian of the student (or from the student if the student is at least age eighteen (18) or is an emancipated minor) for him/her to return to practice and play. Within twenty-four (24) hours after giving verbal permission of the student athlete to return to practice and play, the parent or legal guardian (or the student if the student is at least age eighteen (18) or is an emancipated minor) must provide the coach with a written statement that the student has permission to return to practice and play.

Additionally, the Board directs and requires that: