Brainerd schools will soon have EpiPens in stock in case of emergencies.
At a Brainerd School Board meeting Monday, the group unanimously approved a policy revision that will allow EpiPens, used in treatment of allergic reactions, to be on-hand in schools for emergency situations.
Two people spoke in favor of the move during community forum.
Many allergies, especially to nuts, are becoming more prevalent, said Superintendent Klint Willert.
Currently, students who have allergies can keep EpiPens in the nurse's office.
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But not every student is aware of allergies, and may find out after they experience a reaction. Having EpiPens on hand will aid in those situations, officials said.
If a student who did not have an EpiPen in the office was experiencing an allergic reaction, the school nurses would call 911 and follow the directions given.
That could mean using EpiPens from other student supplies and replace them later, said Cori Reynolds, Community Education director.
The EpiPens will be on the shelves as soon as possible, Willert said. The district is looking into sources now for the medication, including through donations.
In other school board news:
Heard that The Big Event, a fundraiser held last weekend, brought in roughly $45,000 in proceeds. About 350 adults and 75 students attended.
Approved revisions to the school calendar for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 school years.
The biggest alteration in the 2015-16 school calendar is in regard to an eight-hour float day teachers use for furthering education. Instead of the current policy, which usually sends teachers off-site to gain education all eight hours at a time, the new policy would allow the hours to be split in half and used for similar groups to focus on curriculum work together.
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2016-17 school calendar, alterations would give students a day off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
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In the 2016-17 school calendar, the alterations would give students a day off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and also names another snow day.
Haglin said he was concerned giving students the day off on Martin Luther King Jr. Day would in return "lose the importance and significance" to some students who might then view it as "just another day off."
Timothy Murtha, director of Teaching and Learning for the district, said the day is the only federal holiday that asks people to "think about what we have learned. It challenges us to think about where we haven't fully lived up to the promise of the Constitution."
Murtha said giving the day off will promote teachers to talk about the issues on more than just one day of the year.
Approved the second reading of several policies, including policy implementation, administrator code of ethics, mandated reporting, and the superintendent contract, duties and evaluation procedure.
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Approved the first reading of several tweaks to policies, including topics like student fundraising, curriculum development and testing accommodations and modifications.
Approved retiring a few old board policies that have been replaced or are no longer relevant. The old policies have already been replaced with newer ones.
Accepted the following retirements: Paula Barrer, special education, BHS; Joanne Comstock, first grade, Harrison; Wendy DeGeest, ECSE Birth-3, WESB; Cathy Dens, PT, Co-op; Beverlee Dunphy, kindergarten, Baxter; Sherry Frisk, second grade, Garfield; Kathy Ogden, autism consultant, co-op; Keith Olson, OT, Co-op; Diane Swanson, kindergarten, Riverside; Theresa Thomas, kindergarten, Riverside; Julie Tetreault, Title 1, Harrison; Sue Thurlow, media specialist, BHS; Karen Vogt, sixth grade, Forestview; Joanne Vukelich, EC Central Intake, Co-op; Lois Zauhar, sixth grade, Forestview; Sue Ziegler, Lit collaborative and interventions, Baxter; Sharon Siekas, secretary, district office; Jerrald Shogren, custodian, Riverside.
Accepted the following resignations: Elizabeth Wright, speech language pathologist, co-op; Trisha Peterson, EA.
Accepted the following new employees: Darwyn Beach, custodian, Lincoln/WESB, transfer replacement; Lindsay Lakin, EA, WESB, transfer replacement; Kelli McConville, EA, Riverside, resignation replacement; Stacy O'Connell, EA, Lowell, resignation replacement; Denise Sweet, EA, Forestview, resignation replacement.
Accepted about $4,422 in gifts and grants to the district.
Went into closed session for labor group contract negotiations strategy discussion.
JESSIE PERRINE may be reached at jessie.perrine@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5859. Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/brainerdnews .
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Some of the information regarding Epipen use in this story has been corrected due to incorrect information.
