In answer to your question. I’m a girl, older now... well way older now, and we solved the issue by carrying extras in our purse. Problem solved. And not to get too graphic, they were not packaged in little pretty pink wrappers either. Kleenex worked just fine for wrapping purposes. In an emergency one went to the school nurse. Good planning made that unnecessary. How in God’s name will these precious little snowflakes make it in the big bad world. I know the answer, the question was merely rhetorical. You can’t fix stupid.
So, sounds like you and the women had common sense ways of handling the problem. A little common sense can go a long way towards dealing with life’s issues. I know from my wife that sometimes cycles can be unpredictable. But still it is not a huge public health emergency, which seems to be how the New York schools are framing the issue.