- Big Lake Schools
- Overview
Health Services
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It is the mission of Big Lake Schools' health services staff to promote a healthy environment for all students. We encourage our students to live healthy lifestyles because we know healthy kids can focus on learning better.
Our health services staff includes a district nurse/health coordinator, who has a minimum of a Baccalaureate in Nursing and additional licensure in Public Health and School Nursing; and trained health assistants in each building who provide first aid and routine daily care for students.Your child's school health assistant should be your main contact person in regards to anything health-related with your child. Please use the staff directory to identify who your child's health assistant is and how to contact him/her.
Health Information & Forms
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Home Screening for COVID-19 Symptoms
Your child must not go to school, child care, or activities if they:
- Test positive for COVID-19.
- Show symptoms of COVID-19.
- May have been exposed to COVID-19.
- Are watiting to get tested, or waiting for COVID-19 test results.
If your child has symptoms of COVID-19 or tests positive for COVID-19, they must stay at home in isolation and way from others as much as possible.
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COVID-19 Attendance Guide for Parents and Families
Staying home when you are sick is one of our best ways to fight COVID-19. Keeping sick children and children who are exposed to COVID-19 away from others helps stop the spread of the virus to other children, staff, and the surrounding community. Parents and guardians can use this guide to understand when their child can attend school, activities, and child care during COVID-19.
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Handling a Suspected or Confirmed Positive Case of COVID-19
The MDH website offers detailed guidance to answer the following questions:
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What should a district do if they are notified of a symptomatic person (e.g., student, teacher, or staff) at home, on transportation, or at school?
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What should a district do if someone (e.g., student, teacher, or staff) in the school community or one of their household members or close contacts tests positive for COVID-19?
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When does someone need to quarantine or isolate for COVID-19?
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MDH Provided Case Data
The Minnesota Department of Health provides weekly updates on their website with information regarding COVID-19 case counts. School buildings with 5 or more positive cases are represented on the bottom of their website.
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Where can I find mental health resources?
Always feel free to reach out to our schools directly for assistance with mental health resources. Additionally, the State of Minnesota has shared a Tips and Resources for Children and Parents During COVID-19 webpage with resources.
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When to Keep Your Child Home
In order to prevent the spread of an illness, a student should be kept home if they have any of the following:
- A contagious disease, such as chicken pox, strep throat, pink eye or impetigo - student should not return until all blisters have dried into scabs, which is usually about 6 days after the initial rash
- Two or more episodes of vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours - student should not return until vomiting or diarrhea stops
- Draining ears or eyes that are reddened - student may return after a doctor confirms symptoms are not communicable or 24 hours after treatment has started
- Undiagnosed rash - student should not return to school until after a doctor confirms the symptoms are not communicable
- Elevated temperature of 100 degrees or greater - student should not return to school until fever presents in the normal range for at least 24 hours
- Have been on antibiotics for less than 24 hours
- For COVID-19 specific related symptoms - Please review the Home Screening Tool for COVID-19 Symptoms and COVID-19 Attendance Guide for Parents and Families.
If your child has any of the above symptoms, please keep him/her home from school and report the absence to the school office.
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Administration of Medication
If your son or daughter needs to take prescription or over-the-counter medication while in school, the State of Minnesota requires that the following procedures are followed:
- All medication must be in the original container
- All prescription and over-the-counter medication brought to school by students must be kept in the health office. Students are not permitted to self-administer medication unless they have a doctor's note and contract to carry an inhaler.
- A written request from a parent/guardian is required in order to administer medication that is needed for less than 2 weeks
- A physician's written authorization and a parent's written request are both required to administer medication that is needed for more than 2 weeks
- Medication will be given by designated personnel as prescribed on the bottle
- All medication needs to be picked up at the end of each school year
Please fill out the form below if your son or daughter needs medication administered during the school day. The form should be mailed, faxed or emailed to the health office of your student's school.
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Immunizations
In order to protect children from certain communicable diseases, Minnesota state law requires children enrolled in school to be vaccinated (or provide documentation of certain allowed exemptions). Upon enrollment, the start of 7th grade, and when turning 16 years old, an immunization record form must be submitted or a student will not be allowed to start/continue school.
Resources from MN Department of Health:
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Individual Health Plans & Health History
The following files should be used to provide initial information or annual updates to your child's school about their individual health plan or health history:
Allergy Letter and Allergy Plan
Diabetes Management Letter and Diabetes Management Plan
Seizures Letter and Seizures Plan
Significant Other Health Management Letter and Significant Other Health Management Plan
