Committee expands H9 to include vitamins and supplements under nurse-dispensed items

The Cumberland School Committee unanimously approved a minor but practical amendment to its H9 dispensing-of-medication policy on June 25, 2026 to include vitamins and supplements among items that the nurse may help dispense during the school day.

Miss Goldstein said the change was requested by nursing staff to allow better oversight of students who self-administer vitamins or supplements at school. During discussion board members asked whether students would be disciplined if they were seen sharing supplements or consuming protein shakes; members and staff said the intent is safety and that definitions (for example, whether a protein shake counts as a supplement) would be clarified with the head nurse.

Miss Goldstein moved passage and Miss Smith seconded; the motion passed 7–0.

The amendment aims to give nurses more authority to manage on-campus administration of these products in younger grades and to prevent unsafe sharing or unsupervised consumption.