Health
The primary goal of health services is to eliminate/minimize health related barriers to learning.
To accomplish this, health services staff, as part of the school team, strives to:
- Promote student and staff wellness.
- Provide skilled nursing.
- Protect students' well being.
- Enhance healthy behaviors.
- Encourage self-care.
- Assess and communicate student health concerns through referral to parents/guardians.
Contact
Laurel Werner, HCS
Health Care Specialist/Health Office
651-425-4507
Contact
Melinda Key, LSN
Licensed School Nurse
651-425-4502
- What does the district's health services provide?
- Illness/Absence
- Immunizations
- Medication at School
- Physical Exams
- Communicable and Infectious Diseases
- Special Health Conditions
- Vision Screening
What does the district's health services provide?
- Care for students with illness, injuries and chronic health conditions
- Medication administration
- Immunization review and compliance monitoring
- Health appraisals and review of findings
- Implementation of health accommodations
- Creation and implementation of individualized health plans and emergency care plans
- Care coordination with parents and health care providers
- Specialized nursing procedures to students with medical needs
- Prevention and control of communicable diseases
- Vision and hearing screening
- Teaching of health issues in the classrooms
- Staff education
- Networking with community health agencies
- Assistance in maintaining and improving an environment that enhances learning.
It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify the appropriate school staff of any medical condition that may impact the health or safety of their child during the school day or in school activities.
Illness/Absence
absences
It is important to report your child's absence each day your child is absent from school. Please call the school's attendance line and report your child's:
- Name
- Grade
- Nature of why they are absent (ill, appt, out of town etc)
- If your child has symptoms of, or has been diagnosed with, any communicable diseases (influenza, chicken pox, strep throat etc) please convey that information to the health staff.
- Please see the attendance policy regarding excessive illness absences.
illness
- If your child becomes ill at school and needs to go home, the Health Services Staff will contact a parent/guardian. Children must call from the health office and not from their cell phones.
- If staff are unable to reach parents/guardians and determine that the student must go home, the emergency contacts will then be called.
- It is important for parents/guardians to provide an emergency contact that is available during the school day.
- Please update Parent Portal or the current years emergency census form as changes arise
- Your child will not be allowed to leave with any person who is not listed as an emergency contact unless we have your verbal permission to allow an alternate person to pick up your child.
- Your child will not be allowed to leave school without contacting an adult.
is my child okay to go to school?
- If your child has a fever of 100.4°F or more, keep them home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without using fever reducing medication.
- If your child has vomited one or more times keep them home until 24 hours after the last episode.
- If your child has diarrhea and needs to use the bathroom frequently.
- If your child has a rash that the cause is unknown, check with a health care provider before sending them to school.
- If your child has an illness that prevents them from participating in routine activities.
Immunizations
The Minnesota School Immunization Law (Minn. Statute 121A.15) requires that all students enrolled in school be protected from childhood diseases by receiving immunizations. This includes students enrolled in PreK-12 schools or programs, Kids Club, preschool, alternative programs and home school programs.
If you need assistance due to disability or language barrier, please call 651-430-6655 (TDD 651-430-6246)
immunizations needed for school
Your child’s immunization dates, or a medical or non-medical exemption, must be shared with the school health office before the first day of school. This includes students enrolled in PreK-12 schools or programs, Kids Club, preschool, alternative programs and home school programs.
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The immunization form can be used to document vaccinations and/or claim an exemption from the requirements for medical or non-medical exemptions.
Additional languages:
Hmong (PDF) | Somali (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Vietnamese (PDF)
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Medical exemptions must be signed by a health care provider.
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Non-medical exemptions must be signed by a parent/guardian and notarized
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Schools will accept other versions of immunization records too as long as all required immunizations are listed.
Are your kids ready for school?
Additional languages:
Hmong (PDF) | Somali (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Vietnamese (PDF)
Washington County Low-cost Immunization Clinics
Medication at School
SoWashCo Schools provides health services personnel to dispense medication to students in need of medication during school hours.
If you need assistance due to disability or language barrier, please call 651-430-6655 (TDD 651-430-6246)
requirements for students to receive medication
- Medications which are required during school hours and which the parent/guardian is unable to come and administer, must be administered by a school nurse or a designee to whom the nurse has trained and delegated the function of medication administration. All medication administered must be F.D.A. approved, unless a licensed prescribing practitioner and a License School Nurse deems it medically necessary that it be administered during the school day.
- Medication to be given in school must be supplied in the original container or prescription bottle. Prescription medicine should be prepared by the pharmacist and sent in a prescription bottle with the appropriate labeling for school use.
- Written PARENTAL PERMISSION is required for any and all F.D.A. approved medication to be administered at school.
- Written Health Care Provider Permission, in addition to parental permission is required for all prescription medication.
- All medication must be accompanied by specific instructions regarding when and how it is to be given, and for how long.
- Medication is kept in a locked cabinet and given in the health office except in the special circumstances as approved by the school nurse.
- Under no circumstances will school personnel supply 'stock' over-the-counter medication such as Tylenol or Advil to students or staff.
- Please submit a copy of the medication form to Kids' Club if your child is involved in this after school care program.
self-administration of medication
- State law permits select medications to be self-carried and administered by the student at school. (i.e. insulin, inhaler, pain relievers).
- If a student desires to carry one of the allowable “self-carry” medications, they must first obtain parental permission and in some cases physician authorization as well. Upon request to self-administer medication, the Licensed School Nurse will assess the student’s ability to administer the medication accurately and appropriately.
- Students of any age with demonstrated competency can carry an inhaler (asthma medications), Epi-Pen, or insulin. However, only secondary students, grades 7-12 are allowed to carry over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers (e.g. Tylenol, Advil, and ibuprofen). Students are not allowed to carry cold medicine or any other medication not addressed above with the exception of cough drops in secondary schools.
- The privilege to self medicate can be revoked at anytime if unsafe use of medication is observed. Rules regarding school administration of drugs and medicine are found in MN Statutes 121A.22, 121A.221, 121A.222, 121A.2205.
Physical Exams
Forms
- Physical exam forms are also available in building health offices
- School Physicals: SoWashCo Schools encourages periodic physical exams for health and wellness of all students. It is recommended that students see their health care provider for physicals before entering Kindergarten, 4th, 7th and 10th grade. Please return the completed physical exam to the school health office.
sports physicals
- Students participating in 6th grade track or wrestling, and ALL middle school, high school and/or Minnesota State High School League Sports are required to have a physical exam on file that was performed within the last three years. This physical exam must be on file in the student health record. The same form may be used for school and/or sport physicals.
Communicable and Infectious Diseases
In general do NOT send your child to school if:
- If your child has a fever of 100.4°F or more, keep them home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without using fever reducing medication.
- If your child has vomited one or more times keep them home until 24 hours after the last episode.
- If your child has diarrhea and needs to use the bathroom frequently.
- If your child has a rash that the cause is unknown, check with a health care provider before sending them to school.
- If your child has an illness that prevents them from participating in routine activities.
Communicable/Infectious Disease | Signs/Symptoms | Contagious Period |
Should My Child Go to School (Strong Recommendations) |
How Disease Spreads | |
Ringworm |
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Once ringworm is visible. When the rash starts shrinking and treatment has begun, it could become less contagious |
No. Keep your child home until treatment has started. Rash should be covered with clothing or a band-aid while in school. |
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Scabies |
Rash with intense itching that may be more severe at night. Look for a rash of pink bumps or tiny blisters commonly seen between fingers, around wrists, elbows and armpits. |
Before the rash starts and until 24 hours after treatment begins |
No. Keep your child home until 24 hours after treatment begins. |
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Strep Throat and Scarlet Fever |
May have sudden onset of fever, sore throat, swollen glands, headache, nausea, stomachache or vomiting. Scarlet Fever: A very fine raised rash is present on the neck, chest, elbow, groin, thighs and armpits. |
Until 12 hours after antibiotic treatment begins |
No. Keep your child home until 12 hours after treatment begins, child is fever free for 24 hours without medication and is well enough to participate in normal activities. |
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Whooping Cough (Pertussis) |
Begins with runny nose, sneezing, mild cough and low-grade fever. After 1-2 weeks, a persistent cough develops which may occur in explosive bursts, especially at night. |
From the time of the first cold-like symptoms until 21 days after coughing begins or after taking five days of antibiotics |
No. Keep your child home until five days after antibiotic treatment begins. *Notify heath office of diagnosis. |
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Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) |
Bacterial: The white part of the eye is pink or red with pus or sticky drainage. The eyes are painful or itchy. Viral: The white part of the eye is pink with clear, watery discharge. The eyes may or may not be painful or itchy. |
While symptoms are present |
Yes, if your child is fever free for 24 hours without medication and is well enough to participate in normal daily activities. |
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Chickenpox (Varicella) |
Fever and skin rash that comes in clusters. Rash begins on the chest, back, under arms, neck and face, changing to blisters and then scabs. |
From 1-2 days before the rash begins until all blisters have become scabs |
No. Keep your child home from school until blisters have dried into scabs and there have been no new lesions for 24 hours, usually about six days after rash first appears. *Notify the school health office of diagnosis. |
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Cold Sores/Fever Blisters (Herpes Simplex) |
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First infection: up to two weeks, or longer Recurring infection: 3-5 days |
Yes. Your child does not need to stay home from school. |
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Common Cold (Viral Respiratory Infections) |
Runny nose, sneezing, chills, tiredness, fever, muscle aches, sore throat and cough that may last 2-7 days. |
From the day before symptoms appear to 5-7 days later |
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COVID-19 (Coronavirus) |
Fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea or a new loss of taste or smell. |
With symptoms: from two days before to ten days after symptoms began No symptoms: from two days before to ten days after lab test was taken |
No. Keep your child home until all three of the following are true:
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Cases with no symptoms can still spread disease to others |
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Fifth Disease |
Rarely any symptoms other than a rash that begins on the cheeks and later can be seen on the arms and/or chest. |
Until rash appears |
Yes, if your child is fever free for 24 hours without medication. |
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Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease |
Sores occur in the mouth and may last 7-10 days. In most cases, sores are on the palms of the hands, fingers and soles of the feet. A low-grade fever may be present for 1-2 days. |
During the first week of illness |
No. Keep your child home until they are fever free for 24 hours (without medication) and blisters have dried into scabs. |
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Head Lice |
Itching of the scalp. Look for live lice in the hair. Nits (eggs) are often found behind the back of the neck. |
Until treated with a louse killing product. Recommended treatment includes using store-bought or prescription lice killing product |
Yes. It is strongly recommended that your child be treated for head lice. Avoid head-to-head contact with other children. |
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Impetigo |
Blister-like sores that form an oozing, sticky, yellow crust. Itching is often present |
Until sores are healed or have been treated for at least 24 hours |
No. Keep your child home from school until 24 hours after antibiotic treatment begins. |
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Influenza-like Illness |
Sudden onset of fever, headache, muscle pain, body aches, cough and/or sore throat. |
During the first 24 hours before and up to seven days after the illness begins |
No. Keep your child home until they are fever free for 24 hours (without medication) and is well enough to participate in normal daily activities. |
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Mono |
Fever, sore throat, tiredness and swollen glands. A rash may be present. |
For several weeks or longer |
Yes, if your child is fever free for 24 hours (without medication) and is well enough to participate in normal daily activities. |
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Special Health Conditions
SoWashCo Schools Health Services Staff recognize each student as a unique and important individual with a variety of needs. Health Services staff strive to assist and strengthen the student's learning process by accommodating any existing health condition(s).
For Health Services staff to understand your child's needs and make necessary accommodations, we often seek information. This information assists staff in making decisions regarding the best plan (if any) for your child. If deemed appropriate, an Individual Health Plan (IHP) will be created detailing the steps we will take to accommodate your child's health needs.
To assist the Health Services team in collecting information about your child, please complete the appropriate questionnaire(s) from those linked in the "Questionnaires" tab below and return the completed form to the health service staff at your child's school.
If you need assistance due to disability or language barrier, please call 651-430-6655 (TDD 651-430-6246)
technical nursing procedures in the school settin
- Students needing specialized treatments/procedures during the school day will have the treatments/procedures provided when it is necessary for the health of the student. All treatments/ procedures during the school day must be administered or delegated by a licensed school nurse.
- Treatments/procedures cannot be performed without proper authorization. A written order from the prescribing health professional as well as written authorization from the parent/guardian must be provided to the school on the above form.
- All requested treatments/procedures must be accompanied by instructions stating:
- Specific treatment/procedure to be performed
- Time(s) or frequency during school day to be performed
- Length of time treatment/procedure is to be performed
- Specialized instructions or comments
- Orders must be renewed annually or whenever there is a change of service
- The supplies and equipment needed to complete the procedure must be provided to the school by the parent/guardian.
Vision Screening
Healthy students are better learners. The ability to see and hear adequately are directly linked to academic success. SoWashCo Schools Health Services annually screen students for vision acuity. The same screening is performed during the Early Childhood Screening Process with the addition of a hearing screening.
- Vision screening is done for all students in grades 1, 3 and 5 each year.
- Color vision screening is done each year for kindergarten boys only.
- Additional vision or hearing screening may be requested by teacher, parent, or student or when a student is referred for evaluation of learning difficulties.
- Parents will be notified of students who do not pass screening via a referral form that the health care provider completes and then once complete it is returned to the school health office.