Provincial resource teacher Helen Salatellis and Vancouver Coastal Health occupational therapist for the Adolescent Complex Concussion Clinic, Kathy Wong, led a professional development workshop for teachers at the Vancouver School District earlier this year.
The workshop entitled, "Adolescent Concussion: Considerations for Management and Return to School" was met with enthusiasm by over 50 teachers in attendance. While more prevalent in the news over the years, the opportunity to learn about concussions, their impact on student learning, and the challenges for students returning to the school environment was new to many in the audience.
Helen and Kathy presented innovative elements and the latest research on concussions to their receptive audience. One highlight for the teachers was their take-away toolkit filled with strategies and resources, to assist them in future for supporting students recovering from concussions. These kits included template injury reports for teachers to use in the event a student is injured at school. Kits also contained protocols, planning documents, and communication tools to use when students return to their classrooms while continuing to recover from their concussion injuries.
The presenters were thrilled by their audience's attendance, participation, and feedback. "Educators make a huge difference in the health of their students, and school personnel are vital for assisting with concussion recovery," Helen states. Participants were thankful to have attended and the information presented was well-received, emphasizing that concussion education can make a difference in a student's recovery.
The professional development workshop was organized in part by the GF Strong School Program at the District. Program staff work as part of an interdisciplinary team meeting the needs of students with cognitive and physical impairments resulting from injury and illness. Find out more on the District's student support webpages.
