South Brunswick BOE acts on head injury policy; updates traffic school pattern

Officials say changes in policy are to protect student safety

BY STELLA MORRISON
Staff Writer

Safety was the key word at the Aug. 21 meeting of the South Brunswick Board of Education.

The board adopted a new head injury policy, a series of guidelines mandated by the New Jersey Department of Education, expanding it to include cheerleading.

“We didn’t have a ‘formal policy’ on this, although we were following the state guidelines,” said Anthony Tonzini, school business administrator. The head injury policy outlines how those involved in athletics, including coaches, should act in case of a head injury.

“It gives our coaches and all the people involved in athletics clear direction on how to handle head injuries,” Tonzini said.

The board also approved an updated traffic pattern in front of South Brunswick High School. Officials said it is designed to provide a safe drop-off zone for students near the front entrance of the school.

Three lanes of traffic from Stouts Lane pass the front entrance of the high school — two for dropping off passengers and one through lane, according to Tonzini. A separate street from Ridge Road provides direct access to the parking lot for staff and allows drop-offs along the curb. A turn-around section in the center of the parking lot has been removed and is now an additional drop-off zone.

Tonzini said that speed bumps were expected to be installed this week, weather permitting. If they cannot be installed now, they should be in by mid-September.

“Even though we have these new guidelines, we still need cooperation of parents and guardians who drop off their young men and women at school,” Tonzini said. “The traffic pattern is only as safe as our drivers are.”

Although changes to the traffic pattern were made after an alleged hit-and-run accident at the high school in April, which resulted in an injury, Tonzini said that it was not the main factor in improving traffic flow at the high school.

“It was not necessarily a direct result of the hit-and-run, but it was for student safety in general,” Tonzini said. “Knowing that a student was hit last year made it very important for us to make sure that we had a clear and safe path for all of our students.”

New signage will go up this week to indicate the new traffic patterns.