Students who become ill or injured during the school day will be referred to the office. If a student needs to leave school, a parent/guardian will be contacted to pick up their student. Please be sure that the office has work, pager, cell phone numbers, emergency contact number, and the name of the child’s doctor or medical clinic. It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to provide transportation home for the child within an hour. It is important to keep the school informed of any medical condition that may interfere with learning or create a need for medical attention during the day. 

Is my child well enough to go to school?

Here are some guidelines to help in the decision making process.

• Fever - A fever of 100 or more signals an illness that is probably going to make a student uncomfortable and unable to function well in class. Your child should stay home until fever free for 24 hours without medication.
• Vomiting, Diarrhea or Severe Nausea - These are symptoms that require a student to remain at home until a normal diet is tolerated the night before and the morning of school, and no symptoms are present for 24 hours.
• Infectious Diseases - Diseases such as impetigo, pink eye with thick drainage, and strep throat require a doctor's examination and prescription for medication. Contacting the doctor and using the medicine as directed for the full recommended length of time are necessary. Once medication has been started and the child is feeling well, he/she may return to school 24 hours after medication has been administered.
• Chicken Pox - Students with chicken pox may return to school when all the scabs are completely dried and no new lesions are developing (usually 5-7 days).
• Rashes - Rashes or patches of broken, itchy skin needs to be examined by a doctor if they appear to be spreading or not improving.

Immunizations

To go to school in Minnesota, students must show they have had the required immunizations or file a legal exemption with the Licensed School Nurse. Required Immunizations for Kindergarten Children:

• 5 DPT (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis)
• 4 polio
• 2 MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
• Hepatitis B Series
• 2 Varicella or documented history of disease

Parents may get a legal exemption from the school law for medical reasons or conscientiously held beliefs. Students not in compliance will be excluded from school. 

The following documents provide additional information on required immunizations and a form for you to complete and return to your school. 

Vision and Hearing Screening

Every effort is made to screen students for hearing and vision. As time permits, hearing and vision will be screened on an alternating schedule, based on the student's grade level. If you have specific concerns about your child's hearing or vision, please reach out to the School Nurse. Complete screenings can be done for students by request of the parent or teacher.

Medications at School

At times, it may be necessary for a student to take medication during the school day. If a medication must be administered by school personnel, the following conditions must be met:

• Written authorization by parent for both prescription and non-prescription medications.
• Written instructions and authorization from a physician for prescription drugs including dosage and frequency.
• All medications, prescription and non-prescription, must be in their original containers. Prescription medication containers should include the physician's name and pharmacy.
• Medication that is not FDA approved will not be administered in school.
• Students are only allowed to take medication in school when it is administered by the school nurse in the health office.

Exceptions include:

• Elementary students should keep their inhalers and/or epi-pens in the health office unless specific written permission to carry the inhaler and/or epi-pen is received from the physician and the parent/guardian. The student also needs to demonstrate competency in administering.

Compliance with the conditions listed above must be renewed each year. 

Parents/guardians asking school staff to give medications to their child must complete the Authorization for Administering Medication Form and have the health care provider sign every school year.