Health Services

Maintaining a Safe & Healthy Learning Environment for All

Health services connect school staff, students, families, community, and healthcare providers to promote the healthcare of students and a healthy and safe school environment. School health services actively collaborate with school and community support services to increase the ability of students and families to adapt to health and social stressors, such as chronic health conditions or social and economic barriers to health, and to be able to manage these stressors and advocate for their own health and learning needs.

Report an Absence

Contact

Marie Halverson
District Health Coordinator

School Health Assistants

School Health Assistants

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Illnesses & When to Stay Home

When Should I Keep My Child Home?

It is crucial to keep your child home when they are sick to prevent the spread of illness and help keep our school community safe and healthy! However, it can be challenging to know when to keep them home and when they’re ready to return to school.

As a general guideline, keep your child home if they are experiencing:

Certain Illnesses & Infectious Diseases

Certain Illnesses & Infectious Diseases

Refer to the "Exclusion & Return to School Guidelines for Common Illnesses" box below.

Fever of 100.4°F or More

Fever of 100.4°F or More

The student should stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without fever reducing medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Undiagnosed or Disease-Related Rash

Undiagnosed or Disease-Related Rash

If your child has an unexplained rash, check with your healthcare provider before sending them to school.

Vomiting or Diarrhea

Vomiting or Diarrhea

If a student has vomited or had diarrhea, they should stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.

Exclusion & Return to School Guidelines for Common Illnesses

Chicken Pox

Exclusion until all blisters have crusted.

Report An Absence

Please be sure to report any illness-related absences to your child's school's attendance line. If your child has any injury or illness that will require modifications in their school day upon their return, please contact the school health office prior to returning to school.

When a Child Becomes Ill at School

If your child/adolescent becomes ill at school and needs to go home, Health Service staff will attempt to contact a parent/guardian. If we cannot reach a parent/guardian, we will reach out to the emergency contact listed in Infinite Campus. Your child will NOT be allowed to leave school without contacting an adult. If you need to make any changes with these contacts, follow these instructions on how to do so in Infinite Campus.

Immunizations

Are your kids ready for school?

In order for students to enroll or remain enrolled in elementary or secondary schools, Minnesota state law requires documentation of required immunizations or written proof of exemption. Students will not be allowed to start school or remain in school until this information or an appropriately signed legal exemption is provided to the district.

Scheduling Immunizations

It is recommended that you call your child's physician to schedule immunization appointments. If you do not have health insurance or your health insurance does not cover the cost of immunizations, contact Sherburne County Public Health at 763-765-4000. Call 800-433-5237 to schedule an appointment.

K-12 Immunization Law and Exemption Form

Early Childhood Immunization Law and Exemption Form

Medications in School

For our full school policy regarding medication in schools, refer to School Board Policy 516: Student Medication and Telehealth

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.

Dispensing Medicine in School

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.

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
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. Do not sent medication to school in baggies, envelopes, Tupperware, your child’s pocket
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.

Medication Distribution Request Form

Other Notes

Stock Medications: 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.
Narcotics: 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.

Health Forms

Use the following files to share information about about your child's individual health plan or health history with your child's school.

Special Dietary Needs

If your child requires special diet or meal accommodations due to medical needs, visit the Nutrition Services page (under the Allergens & Dietary Requests tab) to access doctor's forms and more information.

Potassium Iodide (KI)

The Department of Homeland Security has recommended that facilities within a 10 mile radius of a nuclear power plant have potassium iodide (KI) available to all people in the event of a nuclear incident. No KI will be administered without the written consent of the parent/guardian. Parent permission will be requested when students register for school.

For our full school policy regarding potassium iodide, refer to School District Policy 813: Potassium Iodide (KI). To learn more about what KI is and what it does, please visit this CDC webpage.

Vision & Hearing Screenings

Big Lake Schools conduct grade level vision and hearing screenings in order to help identify potential vision or hearing concerns. Students are screened at the following grade levels:

First grade: Vision, color vision (males only), and hearing
Third grade: Vision & hearing
Fifth grade: Vision only
Seventh grade: Vision only

Screenings are NOT intended to replace professional examinations. Parents/Caregivers will be notified through a referral process if the student does not pass either screening.

Vision and hearing screenings will also be performed by parent/caregiver/staff request by calling your child’s health office or filling out the Vision and Hearing Request Form. If you wish your student to be excluded from either or both of these screenings, please notify your student’s health office at the beginning of every school year.

More information

Learn more about screenings through the Minnesota Department of Education

Activity Restrictions

Physical Education/Recess Participation

Everyone must participate in physical education/recess unless excused by a medical doctor. If a child has been ill and is recovering, the child cannot be excused for more than two days without a doctor's written excuse. It is recommended that students keep a pair of tennis shoes at school to be used during physical education. Support and accommodations are made within each class for students as needed.

Crutches/Wheelchair and Elevator Use

Any student experiencing mobility problems or having a physical condition requiring the use of crutches/wheelchair and/or the school elevator should bring a doctor's note to the school nurse with the following information:

Diagnosis and/or reason for crutches/wheelchair and/or elevator
Duration of crutches/wheelchair and/or elevator use
Crutches/wheelchair must be provided by parent/guardian/home health
Physician's signature and contact information

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