BY KARISSA MILLER
The Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education is considering a new policy that would allow staff members to administer life-saving Naloxone in district schools.
Naloxone is a medicine that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
During the Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, I-SS Chief Student Support Services Officer Shayla Savage said that the Drug-Alcohol Coalition of Iredell has agreed to partner with the school system and supply all of the schools with Narcan (Naloxone).
Each school will have a trained staff member or members who are responsible for administering Narcan in “emergency situations in schools” for the prevention of an opioid overdose death, Savage explained.
According to policy:
“The board recognizes the growing opioid overdoes epidemic and its potential impact on the school system. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration, can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when administered in a timely manner.”
Only trained employees are authorized to administer Naloxone to persons suspected to be experiencing an opioid overdose on school property.
The school nurse will be responsible for monitoring the expiration dates of the school’s naloxone, and prior to the expiration date, notifying the superintendent or designee for need to procure a replacement.
School board member Brian Sloan asked if the school board could be sued if the designated person is not there to deliver Naloxone to a student who might need it.
Board attorney Dean Shatley explained that the board policy explains that the board cannot guarantee that school system supplied naloxone or a person trained in its use will be available for any particular situation.
During the board’s meeting in August, the mother of a 2021 South Iredell High graduate who lost her son to an overdose, encouraged the district to stock Naxolone in district schools and train staff to administer it. (Learn more HERE.)
The district will receive public comment on the policy for 30 days. Once a policy or update has been heard on second reading, it can be adopted.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the board:
♦ Reviewed several first reading policies related to the technology usage, including #3220 Technology in the Educational Program, #3225/4312/7320 Technology Responsible Use, #5071/7351 Electronically Stored Information Retention, #3226/4205 Internet Safety. Visit https://boardpolicyonline.com/bl/?b=iredell to review the board policies.
♦ Heard about this year’s School Improvement Plans (SIP). Each school has a dedicated school improvement team that annually helps create a plan to addresses student and school improvement and safety. Each plan is available for the public to view and provide feedback before the board votes to adopt School Improvement Plans. Visit https://www.issnc.org/about/school-improvement-plans to review the individual SIPs. Early College high schools are not required to have an SIP.