HOWELL — The Howell K-8 School District Board of Education has approved the first reading of a policy that officials say will ensure the safety of students and other people using the district’s buildings.
The board introduced a policy on Aug. 6 that will ensure that every school will have an automated external defibrillator (AED). The AED can be used if an individual has a cardiac episode.
According to the policy, the AED will be easily accessible and kept in an unlocked location on each school’s property with an appropriate identifying sign. The AED will be available throughout the school day and at any other event that is sponsored by the school.
In order to ensure the safety of students, a sports team coach, a licensed athletic trainer or another designated staff member who is present during any athletic events or team practices will be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the correct use of the AED, according to the policy.
The policy is a result of Janet’s Law, according to Business Administrator and Board Secretary Ron Sanasac.
Janet’s Law requires public schools to have an AED for youth athletic events and to design a plan to act upon in the case of a sudden cardiac event, according to the New Jersey Legislature website.
The law is named for Janet Zilinski, an 11-year-old who died of sudden cardiac arrest following a cheerleading practice in August 2006. The law goes into effect Sept. 1.
In addition, the policy requests that there be an emergency action plan designed by the superintendent and applicable to each school in the district that addresses how to respond to a sudden cardiac event, including when an AED may be necessary.
The plan will be a list of five school employees, sports team coaches or licensed athletic trainers who are certified from a program recognized by the state Department of Health and Senior Services in CPR and the use of an AED.
In other business, the board accepted donations to two schools.
The first donation is to the Ramtown School from the Ramtown PTO. The donation is in the amount of $4,130 for the purchase of Everease dry erase boards for about 11 rooms.
The second donation to the Ramtown School is approximately $20,000 from the Ramtown PTO for new Burke playground equipment. The equipment was purchased from Ben Shaffer and Associates Inc. and installed by Whirl Construction.
Finally, the board accepted a $500 donation from Home Depot to the Aldrich School for materials and labor for the media center beautification project.