Nurse/Health Services

ABOUT NURSE/HEALTH SERVICES

D303 nurses support all students from Pre-K to 12+. Every D303 school building/center is assigned a Certified School Nurse and is regularly staffed with at least one Registered Nurse in the Health Office. This model allows for a proactive approach to health and wellness across the district and allows for the safe and continuous care of students and staff members during the school day.

If your child has a health condition or will require the administration of medication during the school day, please share this information with your school nurse so that we can safely care for him/her while at school. If your child becomes ill or is seriously injured during school hours, every effort will be made to contact you or the emergency contact(s) that you have designated in Home Access Center. Please be sure to keep this contact information up to date so that the school is able to reach you in the event of an illness or emergency. If we are unable to reach you during a medical emergency, 911 will be called.

Our Nurses
by Building

WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL

A student is not “school ready” when feeling ill. Please use the following information to guide your decision in determining whether to keep your child at home. If you are unsure if your child should attend school on a given day, the nurses are in schools prior to the start of the school day to assist you. Do not hesitate to call your school health office for guidance.

Please keep your child home if:

Your child has had a fever of at least 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or more within the past 24 hours
Your child has had vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours
Your child has an unexplained rash or open/draining sores
Your child has a persistent, productive cough
Your child has sore/pink eyes with drainage

Returning to school after an illness:

Your child should be fever free for at least 24 without the assistance of fever-reducing medications
Your child should be free of vomiting/diarrhea for at least 24 hours
If your child was diagnosed with a bacterial illness, antibiotics must be taken for at least 24 hours
If your child has not fully recovered before returning to school, you may be contacted to pick him/her up

School Absences

IDPH Communicable Illness Guidance

SCHOOL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

District 303 School Health Requirements are in compliance with the rules and regulations set forth by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the School Code of Illinois and the Illinois State Board of Education. Parents are encouraged to submit their children’s necessary health examinations and immunizations on or before the due date in order to avoid school exclusion. Please note the following health requirements per grade level and contact your school nurse if you have any questions.

Health Requirements by Grade Level

Health Requirements by Grade Level (Spanish)

Health Requirements - quick reference

Health Requirements - quick reference (Spanish)

REQUIRED HEALTH FORMS

Health Exam

Health Examination Form

Formulario de Examen de Salud

Illinois Certificate of Religious Exemption

Certificado de Exención Religiosa de Illinois

Vision Exam

Vision Exam Form

Vision Exam Waiver

Dental Exam

Dental Exam Forms

D303 Health Survey

Health Survey

Encuesta de Salud

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL

If your child requires medication during school hours, every effort should be made to administer the medication at home. However, if your Health Care Provider (HCP) determines that it is in your child’s best interest to take medication (either prescription or over-the-counter) during school hours, a D303 Medication Authorization Form must be completed and signed by the parent/guardian and the HCP and then submitted to the school nurse.

Medication Forms

D303 Medication Authorization Form

Formulario de Autorización para Medicamentos

Self-Administration Parent Authorization form

A Medication Authorization Form is required for each prescription or non-prescription medication, including cough drops, to be administered at school
Medication must be brought to school in its original container by a parent or responsible adult designee
Under no circumstances will the nurses administer any medication that is sent to school in baggies, envelopes, etc.
When controlled medications are dropped off at school, the medicine will be counted/measured by the nurse in the presence of the parent or designee and then signed off by both parties before being accepted
If necessary, the school nurse will contact the prescribing HCP to clarify the medication order or to consult with the HCP regarding the student’s reaction to the medication
A student may carry and self administer his/her own Quick-Relief Asthma Inhaler, Epinephrine Auto-Injector and/or Pancreatic Enzymes provided that a Self-Administration Parent Authorization form is on file in the school health office and all other requirements have been met
A parent or responsible adult designee must pick up any remaining medication by the last day of school. All medication not picked up at the end of the school year will be discarded

HEALTH CONDITIONS AND CARE PLANS

Allergy (Life-Threatening)

Food Allergy Action Plan

Non-Food Allergy Action Plan

Allergy Health History

Asthma

Asthma Action Plan

Asthma Assessment Form

Diabetes

Understanding T1D

Diabetes Care Plan

Parent Letter (Diabetes Care)

Management of Diabetes in School

Seizure

Seizure Action Plan

VP Shunt

VP Shunt Care Plan

Vision and Hearing Screenings

Vision and hearing screenings are provided annually to District 303 students at the State-mandated grade levels, as designated by the Illinois Department of Public Health. All students in special education programs, students transferring into the District who have not previously been screened, and students to be tested related to classroom teacher requests are screened during this annual program.

Screenings are performed by trained technicians certified by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Screenings are scheduled as follows:

Vision screenings