Health Services

To comply with MN State Law and be eligible to attend class in Big Lake School District, students must provide one of the following to the school:

1. Current Immunization Record
   OR
2. Signed/Notarized Exemption Form

The form is available here, as well as in each school Health Services Office.

• Page 1 of this form can be used to document vaccinations. Immunization records can be obtained from your student's doctor's office.
• Page 2 of this form can be filled out to claim an exemption:
  • Medical exemption must be signed by a health care provider
  • Non-medical/Conscientious exemption must be signed by parent/guardian and notarized;  Big Lake Schools strives to help you with this requirement of enrollment by providing notary service within our District Office; please call the District Office for notary availability.

Immunizations protect children from specific communicable diseases, and Minnesota state law (M.S. 121A.15) requires that school children be vaccinated, or have an exemption form completed and on file with the school. Students who are not in compliance with the law by the first day of school will be excluded from school. 

No student is required to receive an immunization if he/she has a medical contraindication signed-off by your medical provider. No student is required to have an immunization which is contrary to the conscientiously held beliefs of his/her parent or guardian. In these exemption instances, the form is still required to be filled out and submitted to the school in order to avoid exclusion from school.

Immunization/Exemption Form

It is not the responsibility of the school to dispense medication. However, the school district recognizes that some students have exceptional circumstances that may require prescribed medication during the school day in order to avoid jeopardizing the student’s health.

For the safety of students, it is recommended that medication be given at home whenever possible. For example, medication prescribed three times a day typically does not need to be administered during school hours; it can be given before school, after school, and at bedtime. Talk with your child’s doctor about optimal timing of medication administration.

Health Services does not supply stock medications such as Benadryl, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, cough drops, throat spray, Bacitracin ointment, or any other over-the-counter medications. 

Medication Administration in School

If it is essential for a student take medication during the school day, the following conditions must be adhered to:

• Provide written authorization from your child’s medical physician/licensed prescriber (not chiropractor) Ask your child’s doctor for their signed doctor’s medication administration order
• Provide written authorization from parent/guardian
• Medication must be kept in the School Health Services Office in a currently labeled pharmacy bottle/original packaging. You need to ask your pharmacist to provide duplicate bottles of the prescription; one bottle to be kept at home and the other at school.
• We encourage parents/guardians to bring the medication to the School Health Services Office. If this is not possible, contact us as to when your child will bring it to us and how many capsules/tablets you are sending. Again, medication must be in the original/current pharmacy labeled bottle; do not sent medication to school in baggies, envelopes, Tupperware, your child’s pocket

• Medications will not be stored in the School Health Services Office, or administered without the proper documentation. 

Special Note: You are in violation of state law if a student takes medication outside of the School Health Services Office that has not been processed through that office, and if required documentation/consent is not in place.

This includes all nonprescription medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.

Exceptions include emergency medications (rescue inhalers and epi-pens) for secondary students who’ve been approved for self-carry as determined by your child’s licensed medical provider, parent, and the district nurse.

Authorization forms are available in each school’s Health Services Office. The form can also be downloaded here, printed, filled out and returned to your child’s Health Services Office.

Other Notes

• We Care about your Child’s Safety: Narcotic pain medications will not be given at school. If your child needs narcotic pain medication at school, he/she is not ready to return to school.
• Dietary Supplements: Health Services shall not administer any dietary supplements, herbal products, or any products not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.
• Medical Cannabis: Medical Cannabis shall not be administered.
• Controlled-substance Medications: Any remaining controlled-substance medications left at the end of the year will need to be picked-up by parent/guardian in the School Health Services Office; please call your building nurse to make arrangements. Medications will not be sent home with students and will be destroyed if not picked-up.