School leaders aim to tackle concussion problem head-on

By Jay Turner

Already recognized as a leader in the field of bullying prevention and well on its way to complying with the state’s new anti-bullying law, the Canton Public Schools is taking a similarly proactive approach with another hot-button topic — that of sports-related concussions and the resulting new state legislation that took effect in September.

The new law, which applies to all public middle and high schools, requires that parents, coaches, school medical personnel, and other staff members receive information about the dangers of concussions. It also mandates that athletes and their parents disclose prior head injuries, and requires clearance from a licensed medical professional before an athlete who has suffered a concussion can return to play or practice.

In a joint presentation to the School Committee last Thursday, Canton Public Schools nurse leader Janet Donnelly, along with CHS athletic director Danny Erickson and athletic trainer Dick Staiti, assured members that Canton is taking the issue of concussions very seriously and is somewhat “ahead of the curve” in terms of compliance.

“It’s not like we’re reacting,” said Erickson, echoing the earlier comments of the anti-bullying taskforce. “Our practices and procedures are very much in line with what is required by the law.”

Erickson said all of his coaches have either completed or are in the process of completing an online head injury training course offered by the National Federation of State High School Associations, while earlier this year, student athletes and parents were both shown “Play Smart: Understanding Sports Concussions,” a video produced by the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts.

Staiti added that Canton High School has established a “great relationship” with the Sports Concussion Clinic at South Shore Hospital, which is run by Dr. Janet Kent, a leading concussion expert and coauthor of the recovery protocol handbook “Head Smart.” Dr. Kent is also a leading proponent of ImPACT testing — a type of neurocognitive assessment widely used at all levels of athletics to diagnose and manage concussions.

Recently, Canton High School signed up for ImPACT testing through a one-year trial program offered by the Brigham and Women’s/Mass General Health Care Center in Foxboro. Erickson said two teams — varsity boys’ hockey and wrestling — were the first to complete the 20-minute, web-based tests, which are administered pre-concussion to establish a baseline score. He said the school obtained parental consent for each athlete tested, and he made it clear that scores are used for no other purpose than concussion management.

Although testing is primarily intended for student athletes, Donnelly indicated that the school is currently developing a concussion protocol that would apply to all students — one that would likely include a referral to South Shore Hospital and an offer to conduct an ImPACT test, even in cases in which a student has already been medically cleared to return to school.

School Committee Chairman Reuki Schutt immediately questioned this approach, saying that she had a “major concern” with any protocol that would appear to second-guess the opinion of a child’s own doctor. Committee member Liz Salisbury also had concerns; however, both Donnelly and Erickson countered that any referrals made by the school would be completely voluntary.

Donnelly also pointed out that the science of concussions is rapidly evolving, and as a result, it is not yet well-understood by the average family practitioner. She said part of her role will therefore be to educate the town’s physicians about the latest findings on concussions and their impact.

For their part, committee members agreed that they, too, still have a lot to learn on the subject, and they thanked the group for their efforts in trying to keep Canton kids safe. John Bonnanzio said he was “incredibly impressed” by the presentation, and his one recommendation was that people like Erickson and Donnelly eventually offer their expertise to the various youth sports programs in town.

Added Schutt, “I think you are on the cutting edge of all of this, and we appreciate you doing this for us.”

In other School Committee news Thursday night, Dick Staiti, who is also the chair of the science and technology department at Canton High School, included an impassioned request for more funding as part of his departmental status report.

While Staiti pointed to the department’s high MCAS scores and improved Advanced Placement scores as reasons to be encouraged, he stressed that large class sizes are a “growing concern,” especially in core subjects such as biology and chemistry.

He said his teachers would also like to expand the department’s elective offerings to include topics such as robotics, biotechnology, and alternative energy, but would need more resources to do so. He went on to make several specific requests, including the restoration of a full-time technology position, an increased supply budget, the addition of another full-time teaching position, and funding for new AP physics and biology textbooks.

In other news:

* School business manager Ken Leon reported a projected surplus of $279,000 in the current school operating budget, which is down nearly $200,000 from his previous projection in late October. Leon said the surplus is largely the result of having fewer out-of-district placements; however, he said they have recently had to hire more special education staff as a result, including the equivalent of 2.8 full-time educational assistants and 3.1 tutors for students in the autism spectrum program.

* Superintendent Jeff Granatino publicly recognized Luce School Council member Maura Messenger and the students, staff and parents at the Luce school for collecting hundreds of school supplies for children in Afghanistan. Over the months of November and December, the school collected 520 pencils, 366 colored pencils, 131 erasers, 62 magic markers, and 59 notebooks.

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