Emergencies & Illness at School
A Student Health Information Form should be completed online at the beginning of each school year. This form will give you an opportunity to list any medical conditions, allergies, medications and concerns you may have. It also includes emergency information for the clinic staff. This information is used to contact you or a person you designate if needed for your child. If a student has a medical emergency at school or a school-related activity when the parent cannot be reached, the school may have to rely on previously provided parental consent to obtain emergency medical treatment and information about allergies to medications, foods, insect bites, etc. Therefore, parents are asked each year to complete an emergency care consent form as part of the Student Health Information Form. Parents should keep emergency care information up-to-date (name of doctor, emergency phone numbers, allergies, etc.) Please contact the school nurse to update any information that the nurse or the teacher needs to know. In the case of an emergency requiring the care of a physician and school staff are unable to contact you or the person(s) you have designated as your emergency contact, school officials will determine what steps will be taken to protect the health of your child, including calling 911 and transporting your child to a medical facility. Note that the District has no financial responsibility for the emergency care or transportation of your child.
When your child is ill, please contact the school to let them know he or she won’t be attending that day. It is important to remember that schools must exclude students with certain illnesses for periods of time as identified in state rules. For example, if your child has a fever over 100 degrees, he or she must stay out of school until they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications.
In addition, students with diarrheal illnesses must stay home until he/she is diarrhea free without diarrhea-suppressing medications for at least 24 hours. Illness at school is evaluated by the health service staff in the clinic area. A child who demonstrates the following symptoms should be sent home from school.
- Fever of 100 degrees or more.
- Suspected contagious condition or disease.
- Vomiting or diarrhea.
- Severe stomachache, headache, or earache.
- A child who is too ill to function in the classroom.
A full list of conditions for which the school must exclude children can be obtained from the school nurse.