School Newsletter: Our Concussion Protocol and Athlete Safety

Concussion protocol communication serves two functions: it informs families about the procedures in place to protect their student athletes, and it creates a shared responsibility framework where families understand what they need to report and what the school will do in response. A family that receives this information before the sports season begins is a more effective partner in their child's health and safety than one who encounters the protocol for the first time after an injury.

Explain the Remove-From-Play Standard

When in doubt, sit them out. This is the foundational standard of concussion management in youth and school sports, and it should be stated directly. Any student who sustains a blow to the head, or who displays any sign of concussion, is removed from activity immediately and does not return the same day. The school's protocol follows this standard and does not allow coaches or athletic trainers to make exceptions based on game context or athletic calendar pressures.

Describe How the School Identifies Potential Concussions

Explain who is trained to assess concussion symptoms: coaches, athletic trainers, school nurses. Describe the sideline assessment process and when outside medical evaluation is required. Families who understand that trained adults are watching for symptoms feel more confident sending their children onto the field. Families who have no idea what protocols are in place worry more, not less.

Walk Families Through the Return-to-Play Protocol

Describe the graduated return-to-play steps: symptom-free rest, light aerobic activity, sport-specific exercise, non-contact training drills, full-contact practice with medical clearance, and competition. Each step requires the student to be symptom-free before advancing. Include the medical clearance requirement: no student returns to full contact activity without written clearance from a licensed healthcare provider.

Explain the Return-to-Learn Process

Concussions affect academic performance as well as athletic participation. Describe the school's return-to-learn protocol: academic accommodations for students recovering from concussion, how families can request modifications, and the role of the school nurse in coordinating academic adjustments. Some families are unaware that concussion management extends beyond the playing field.

Tell Families What They Must Report

Families must notify the school nurse or athletic trainer if their child sustains a head injury outside of school, whether in a recreational sport, an accident, or any other context. A student who returns to school with an unreported concussion may be cleared for activity by a coach who does not know about the injury. Family reporting is an essential part of the protocol.

List the Concussion Symptoms Families Should Watch For

Include a specific list of symptoms families should monitor: headache, confusion, memory problems, dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, changes in sleep patterns or mood, and feeling "foggy." If any symptoms appear after a head impact, the student should not participate in physical activity and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

Identify the Right Contacts for Questions

Name the school athletic trainer and school nurse as the primary contacts for concussion questions, with the athletic director as the secondary contact for protocol questions. Families who know exactly who to call act faster when they have a concern rather than guessing who handles concussion protocol.

Build this newsletter in Daystage at the start of each sports season and send it to all student athletes and their families. A professional, specific concussion protocol newsletter demonstrates that the school takes athlete safety seriously and gives families the information they need to be effective partners in that work.