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Starpoint announces new medical backpack accommodation process effective April 28
Summary
Starpoint Central School District will require a signed medical form and annual renewal for students who need to carry backpacks during the school day; requests must be submitted to the school nurse and will be approved by the school physician.
Dr. Croft, a Starpoint Central School District staff member, said the district will start a new, uniform process for students who have a documented medical need to carry a backpack during the school day.
The procedure, which Dr. Ingram, also a Starpoint Central School District staff member, said takes effect Monday, April 28, 2025, requires parents or guardians and a licensed New York State health care provider to complete a student backpack accommodation request form and submit it to the school nurse. "Beginning on Monday, 04/28/2025, all students requiring this accommodation, including those who may have already received a backpack pass this school year, will need to complete a student backpack accommodation request form," Ingram said.
The district said the form is available from the school nurse. According to Ingram, Section 1 asks for basic student and parent or guardian information and Section 2 must be completed by a licensed New York State health care provider with a medical certification that specifies the condition and rationale for why it is medically necessary for the student to carry a backpack.
The district said final approval will be made by the school physician after the form is submitted and that school administration will notify families of the decision. The accommodation will be reviewed annually; parents and providers must resubmit the form each new school year.
Dr. Croft described the policy change as part of a broader safety effort. "The initial decision during the 2324 school year to reinstitute our policy that generally prohibited students from carrying backpacks in the middle and high school was a significant step toward achieving that goal," Croft said, and the district credited the Niagara County Sheriff's Office with encouragement and support for the original change.
The district also said limiting backpacks reduces hallway congestion and improves visibility. Ingram said that when an accommodation is approved, the school will provide a clear, transparent backpack for the student to carry between classes.
The district characterized the update as a way to provide a consistent, documented process so students with medical needs can be accommodated while maintaining overall safety goals. The announcement was delivered in a brief recorded message to parents and guardians; administrative staff handled follow-up and processing of requests through the school nurse.
