FAQ

To allow sufficient time to recover from an illness or injury, and to minimize the spread of an infectious illness, your child should be kept home from school if he/she has:

We encourage parents/guardians to call any time they have concerns and specifically for the following reasons:

• • Any illness or injury that impacts your student's attendance and academic performance
  • A new medical diagnosis or a change in you child's health status
  • A newly prescribed medication
  • A change in a current medication
  • A serious injury, illness or hospitalization
  • A fracture, sprain, stitches, or a cast
  • A contgious disease such as chicken pox, flu, strep throat, whooping cough
  • If a child is absent for and extended period time
  • If there are any recent changes in your family that may affect your child, such as a birth, recent loss or sudden illness.

An individual health plan (IHP) is a care plan developed by the school nurse in consultation with parents, students and as necessary, healthcare providers, for students that require healthcare services or have an illness that has the potential for a healthcare crisis at school. An IHP may also include an Emergency Action Plan to direct staff who may potentially respond to such emergencies at school. A student should have an IHP if he/she has healthcare needs that have the potential to impact optimal school attendance and academic performance, or if there are procedures that the child is unable to perform independently.

It depends. An IHP focuses exclusively on a student's medical needs, interventions and care coordination in the school day. A 504 emphasizes accommodations that need to be made at school or in the classroom as a result of those medical needs. For some situations, and IHP may be all that is needed. In other cases, both an IHP and a 504 (or amendments to an existing IEP) may be required. The 504 coordinator at each school and/or nurse in consultation with other district staff can determine on a case by case basis what is appropriate for your child.

Currently, school staff may not administer ibuprofen, Tylenol or other over-the-counter (OTC) medications to students. Students may not carry or self administer any medications with the exception of albuterol, insulin or epinephrine with the appropriate documentation. (See Medication Adminstration Requirements).

 

If a student requires use of ibuprofen or Tylenol during the school day, a parent may come to the school and administer the medication. If a student requires regular administration of any medication, school staff may administer medications with the appropriate documentation signed by a parent and the physician. 

According to state law and school district policy, students may self carry and self administer emergency medications such as albuterol, epinephrine and insulin with an individual health plan and medication administration orders signed by a parent and your child's physician. 

 

If your child has medical needs that require him/her to carry emergency medications, please talk to the school nurse to determine the best course of action. Medications may be maintained and administered by school staff, self-carried and administered by school staff, or self-carried and self-administered by the student. 

Individual health plans and medication orders expire at the end of the school year. They must be renewed annually by the beginning of the school year.