Frequently Asked Questions

What is the procedure for my child to return to school after an illness, injury, or hospitalization?
To provide a safe environment for all students, it is district procedure that any student returning after a health event provides clearance from a medical provider. A health event may include, but are not limited to medical and behavioral hospitalization, surgery, and any condition affecting mobility (crutches, wheel chair). If your child was seen by a primary care physician, you may contact their office and request them to fax a medical release with information about any restrictions including weight bearing, P.E. and recess participation, equipment needed (i.e. crutches, wheel chair), date of return and end date. As an alternative option, you may complete a parent release form and give the form to the Health Assistant. The RN will contact the medical provider directly to get orders. If your child was not seen by a medical provider, please contact the Health Office at your child’s school and the staff will assist you. 

How can I be sure my child receives all the necessary support after returning from a health event?
If your child is at an elementary school, please contact the health office in advance and the health assistant will arrange for the child to meet with the District nurse for a safety evaluation. The RN will assess any needs your child will have due to the child’s condition. Special arrangements such as preferred seating and additional assistance can be provided. If your child is in secondary schools, there is an RN on site. Please contact the RN in advance, arrangements can vary from getting a second set of books to using the elevator and requesting longer passing time between classes.

My child has a chronic condition and needs to be absent during school days, do I need doctor orders?
Your medical provider may complete a medical certificate of students with chronic health conditions, addressing medical diagnosis and prognosis, physical limitations and special equipment needed. This form needs to be renewed every school year.

When should my child stay home and can they return to school?

• A child with a temperature of 100.4° or more should remain home until the temperature has returned and remained normal for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.  This is for your child’s health as well as preventing spread of possible viruses conditions such as flu.
• If diarrhea or vomiting occurs, your child should stay home until symptom free for 24 hours.
• Pink eye is very contagious. For precaution, a child with redness of one or both eyes should be kept home until their eyes have cleared or given a prescribed medication for 24 hours.  A doctor’s written release stating the condition is no longer contagious is required to return to school.  A medical note can be kept on record for non-contagious conditions which may result in eye redness.
• Rashes can be difficult to identify.  A student with an unidentified rash should be kept home until the rash disappears or your child’s school has received a written medical diagnosis stating the rash is not contagious.

I found lice in my child’s hair, what do I need to do?
Please call your school and inform the Health Assistant or RN about the issue. Lice are a common problem, particularly in elementary school children. Please be assured, it is not a hygiene issue! Reporting lice to the health office is the only way we can avoid any school wide outbreaks. The Health Assistant will check all other students in the classroom. Students that have the same condition will be sent home for treatment. Please be assured that our Health Assistants are well trained in keeping all this information confidential. Your child should stay home until a treatment with a lice shampoo has been done, and there are no live lice found. It is recommended that the child’s hair be combed with a nit comb (usually a comb is included with the shampoo) every other day until all nits are removed. The Health Assistant will recheck all students that had active lice after they were treated. A second check will be done after 10 days to confirm there is no new infestation. For further information, please call Health Services at District.