As people become more aware of the importance of brain health, AHS has introduced a new system around the academic part of concussions. There are many requirements that go into returning to sports and academics following a concussion. Allina Robertson and Celty Fritter both play a key role in designing and implementing the protocols for returning to school and sports after a concussion.

Allina Robertson has joined the AHS team as a academic monitor for concussions, and helps students suffering from a concussion keep up in school.

Teachers are informed when a student is suffering from a concussion by Robertson and are then given wiggle room when it comes to homework, schoolwork, and tests.

​​”So myself and one or the teachers will usually go through the grades and see what kids have a concussion, if their grades are falling because they’ve had a concussion. We’ll work to make sure that they’re able to either make up work, or things will be forgiven depending on the severity of their concussion. The idea is to kind of have kids return to learn in a way that’s healthy for their brain,” Robertson said.

Celty Fritter, who is AHS’s athletic director, controls the sports side of concussions. She helps to decide when a student is able to rejoin their sport. Before rejoining your sport you must be cleared academically.

“Then we get into really the meat and potatoes for me. That is getting you back to sport once you’re academically cleared. And so that becomes the concussion protocol, and that five day return to play to get back to sports,” Fritter said.

Both Robertson and Fritter can not stress enough how important it is for students that Robertson is here.

“So it used to be that I [Celty] did both which wasn’t as effective as I’m not part of the school necessarily, and so to actually have somebody embedded within the school that can help you guys with academics. Once you have been cleared with your concussion, and been cleared by a doctor and are able to do your schoolwork, and you’re caught back up on your schoolwork then that’s when I come back in,” Fritter said.

Robertson is also able to explain why teenage concussions are not a minor injury and require attention.

“You have less resources, you’re more tired, you’re less able to pay attention. Your sensory systems get a little bit more or more sensitive to becoming exhausted and overstimulated quicker. It can really impact your brain development in that way because your brain only has so many resources,” Robertson said.

Robertson continues, “So if you’re not taking care of your concussions, then your brain is developing maybe a little bit slower because it’s also using some of the resources that typically are used for developing for recovering,” Robertson said.

Both Celty Fritter and Allina Robertson are excited for what’s to come from this new concussion protocol. They both feel students will be better taken care of when it comes to sport related concussions.