The Health Services Department supports students with physical, social-emotional, and mental health resources. Each school site has a health office staffed with a full time School Nurse (RN), health technician and License Vocation Nurse. The health office is open throughout the school day from 8:15 to 4:00pm.
COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 School, 2023-2024 School Year
Visit the CDC website for more information on symptoms of COVID-19.
Visit Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for COVID-19 (ca.gov) for more information.
- IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENT
NO SHOT? NO RECORD? NO SCHOOL.
State law requires that all students under age 18 years, TK through grade 12, be immunized against certain diseases unless they are exempt for medical reasons. At the time of registration, the school is required to have proof that your child has received all currently due immunizations. Check with your pediatrician, family physician or medical clinic to make sure your child is fully immunized. Your child may be excluded from attending school if these requirements are not met. Click this link to see a table which explains what immunizations are due at what age.
Visit https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/School/shotsforschool.aspx for more information on immunization requirements.
MEDICAL EXEMPTIONS
For admissions on or after January 1, 2021, what is required for a medical exemption to a required immunization?
Starting January 1, 2021:
- Medical exemptions can only be issued through the California Immunization Registry – Medical Exemption website (CAIR-ME) by physicians licensed in California.
- Schools and childcare facilities may only accept from parents' new medical exemptions that are issued using CAIR-ME.
MANDATED HEARING AND VISION SCREENINGS
California law (EC 49452, EC 49454, 17 CCR 2951) and district policy (BP 5141.3) require all students in 10th/11th grades (hearing only) as well as students upon first enrollment in a California public school shall receive vision and hearing screenings performed by the school Nurse or other authorized person during the school year. If there is an abnormal finding, parents will be notified by letter. Please contact the school Nurse if you have any concerns regarding your child and the screening process.
MEDICATIONS AT SCHOOL GUIDELINES
The California Education Code states that any student who is required to take medication prescribed by a physician during the regular school day, may be assisted by the school nurse or other designated school personnel if the district receives: (1.) a written statement from the physician detailing the method, amount and time schedules that the medication is to be taken and (2.) a written statement from the student’s parent/guardian authorizing the school district to administer the medication. (E.C. 49422, 49423) Please do not send your child to school with medication in their backpack to take on their own.
MEDICATION FORMS:
If your child requires medication during school hours
please take the authorization medication form to your child’s doctor for completion. The form must be completed by a California physician, surgeon, or physician’s assistant. Orders from doctors practicing outside California will not be accepted. Medication cannot be administered by the nurse or school staff until this form is completed and delivered to the school site.
What to do if your child needs medication at school but you do not have the medication form completed?
- If the form has not been completed and the child must receive medication at school, the parent or designee may come onto campus to administer the medication directly to the child.
DELIVERING MEDICATION TO THE SCHOOL SITE
- Deliver medication to the health office in its original pharmacy container with the original pharmacy label adhered to the container. Over the counter medications must be delivered in the original sealed bottle. The information on the pill bottle must match the orders written by the doctor on the medication form. The strength of the medication delivered must match the strength of the medication prescribed by the doctor (mg, mcg, etc.) Prescribed medication must be in the student’s name.
- In the case of prescribed medications for asthma, anaphylactic shock, or diabetes, students may carry these medications on their person or in their backpacks if the doctor has completed the medication form and has designated “child trained to self-administer”. This rule only applies to medications prescribed for asthma, anaphylactic shock, or diabetes as they are life threatening medical conditions. If these medications are found on your student during a random sweep, records in the health office will be checked to make sure the medication is prescribed, and the medication form is current and up to date.
- Please inform the nurse at your child’s school of any prescribed medications your child is taking regularly at home, along with the current dosage, and the name of the supervising physician who prescribed the medication. Update the school nurse if these medications are changed, discontinued, or if additional medications are prescribed during the school year.