Township Students Now Allowed To Self-Administer Diabetes Tests

The Montville Board of Education approved a policy to allow students with diabetes to administer their own tests and medicine at its meeting on August 31.

The new policy, policy 5338 Diabetes Management, is a revision to the school district's 2007 policy, which states " no medication will be administered to pupils in school except by the school physician, a certified school nurse or the pupil's parents or legal guardians."

According to Dr. Paul Fried, township superintendent, the change in policy comes in an effort to comply with new state laws that allow children with diabetes to administer their own tests.

"Students can now test themselves as opposed to going to the nurse," he said. "This is a change for us. It Is the law, so we are going to allow our students to do begin doing that. Obviously, wherever our children are concerned, we have to be concerned as well."

The policy, which was voted on and enacted unanimously, was fast-tracked into adoption after only one reading at the urging of the school board. Typically, policies require two readings before being brought to vote.

A document released by the board said that, "given the recent changes in law and the imminent opening of school, these polices are adopted effective immediately on an emergent basis pending a second reading tat the next regular meeting."

Board member Jon Alin stressed the need for the immediacy of the policy to coincide with the coming school year, which officially begins on September 7.

"This will allow this policy to be in effect before school opens," he said.

According to the new policy, which calls for parents to notify schoo nurses of a student's health issues before the start of the school year, students can treat diabetes while in the classroom if need be.

The policy states: "Upon the written request of the parent or legal guardian and as provided in a pupil's individualized health care plan, the pupil will be permitted to manage and care for his or her diabetes as needed in the classroom, in other areas of the school or school grounds or at any school-related activity provided the pupil has been evaluated and determined to be capable of doing so as reflected in the pupils individualized heath care plan."

The issue of student medicine self-administration was first brought up at a board meeting on August 17. Dr. Fried, after receiving a letter from a parent regarding the issue, called for a review of the school district's current policy, which was originally adopted in 2005 and revised again in 2007. Alin was concerned that the policy did not comply with 2010 state laws.

"It the law is what the law is, it supersedes the policy," he said.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for September 21.