Concussions

Windsor Charter Academy is committed to supporting students who have sustained a concussion/head injury. If you know or suspect your student has a concussion, please contact your school health office immediately.  

A student does not have to be an athlete to receive a concussion. Concussions can occur from a blow to the head or body, a fall, or another injury that jars or shakes the brain inside the skull. Most concussions resolve within in 1-3 weeks. Occasionally, a student may require additional time for a full recovery. The severity and length of recovery cannot be predicted at the time of injury.

Windsor Charter Academy’s concussion management protocol was developed according to the Colorado Department of Education’s Concussion Management Guidelines, and in conjunction with REAP - A Community-Based Concussion Management Program by Dr. Karen McAvoy, and the Center for Disease Control’s HEADS UP head injury program.

If your student is diagnosed with a concussion, the school nurse consultant and health aide will develop a collaborative plan to assist with classroom accommodations based on your physician’s recommended restrictions. McAvoy (2014) encourages students to return to school with support including rest periods and academic adjustments. All students with a concussion are restricted from physical activity at school; this includes recess, PE, and sports to prevent the risk of re-injury. According to research, it is OK for students to return to school with symptoms. Academics should increase as the student's symptoms decrease. All students should return to a full day without academic adjustments and be symptom-free for one week prior to returning to sports or physical activity.