Board Revises Student Medication Policy

Students will have the ability to carry and use auto-injectable epinephrine following Tuesday’s approval of a school board policy revision.

members unanimously approved changes to Policy JGCD, which deals with medication. The changes allow pupils to carry the auto-injectable epinephrine if their school has on file medical documentation supporting their need for it. The policy also allows them to self-administer the drug if their parent or guardian signs a statement allowing them to do so.

The policy changes reflect new legislation regarding injectable epinephrine and reflect the current medical forms being used and practices being followed in regards to giving medication to students.

A copy of the revised policy is attached to this article.

Board members also received an update on the process of changing school board district boundary lines. House Bill 839, sponsored by State Reps. Paulette Braddock, R-Hiram, and Howard Maxwell, R-Dallas, would submit the proposed district revisions for preclearance under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The bill has been approved by the state House and now awaits action in the Senate.

Superintendent Cliff Cole told board members that State Sen. Bill Heath, R-Bremen, wants them to look over the language of the bill and to give their “blessings’ on it before he pushes it through the Senate.

in order to make the populations in each district as equal as possible to one another based on U.S. Census numbers from 2010. The proposed boundary changes do not move any board members out of their current districts.

Though candidates for school board can only qualify for the district in which they reside—the board also has one at-large seat—all board members are elected countywide.

A copy of HB 839 is attached to this article.