All three Manchester Schools receive the MI HEARTsafe School Award
Sarah Roth standing with the banner Riverside Intermediate School received as part of being awarded the MI HEARTsafe School Award. All three Manchester schools earned this designation this year, but it was the first time for Riverside. Photo courtesy of Sarah Roth.
by Sara Swanson
For more than a decade, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Michigan Department of Education, American Heart Association, Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), and Michigan Alliance for Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death of the Young have awarded the MI HEARTSafe designation to schools that have taken the appropriate steps to prepare for cardiac emergencies. This year, a record-breaking 312 schools are being recognized for their work during the 2023–2024 school year and among those are all three Manchester schools. While Klager Elementary and Manchester Jr/Sr High School renewed their designations, Riverside Intermediate was one of 158 schools receiving the award for the first time.
Sarah Roth, DNP, MSN, RN, who serves as the Health Resource Advocate for Manchester School District, did the work needed to earn this award over the previous school year. She explained, “I was able to work on putting together plans and drills to meet all the requirements at the end of last year and they just sent the awards the beginning of this year.”
To receive a MI HEARTSafe School designation, schools must have a written cardiac emergency response plan and team that can respond to an emergency during school hours and after-school activities and sports, current CPR/AED certification of at least 10% of staff and 50% of coaches, including 100% of head coaches and physical education staff, accessible, properly maintained and inspected AEDs with signs identifying locations, annual cardiac emergency response drills, and pre-participation-sports screening of all student athletes using the current physical and history form endorsed by MHSAA.
Roth will be attending a ceremony on November 12, 2024, at 10am at the Michigan High School Athletic Association in East Lansing to formally accept the award on behalf of Manchester Community Schools.
Since the program began in 2013, 994 schools have earned this honor. A total of 761 schools are actively designated as MI HEARTSafe.
House Bills 5527 and 5528, which were passed and signed into law this year, establish comprehensive safety requirements for schools that include cardiac emergency response plans. “Being prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency can help decrease incidences of sudden cardiac death among Michigan youth,” said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. “As new laws seek to enhance the ability of Michigan schools to respond to cardiac emergencies, the safety and health of our students continues to be a priority across the state.”
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