Chesterfield County School District

In an effort to help protect well children and staff from unnecessary exposure to contagious or infectious diseases, South Carolina requires that children and staff with certain diseases and conditions stay home from school or childcare while contagious.

If your child feels too sick to go to school or has an illness that can be spread to others, please keep them home from school/childcare and call your health care provider. Consider the following:

• Does your child’s illness prevent comfortably taking part in activities?

• Does your child need more care than the staff can give without affecting the health and safety of other children or staff?

• Could other people get sick from being near your child?

• If your child has an oral temperature above 100.4 please stay home from work and school. Do not medicate with fever reducing medicine and go to school.

• If your child has had more than one episode of vomiting or diarrhea, please keep them home.

Students who come to the health room are assessed and returned to class as soon as possible if no abnormalities are found. Students are encouraged to remain in school unless sick or injured. Students are excluded per the DHEC Exclusion List. Also, as a courtesy, school nurses may notify a parent if your child visits the health room, but unless her assessment reveals that it is an emergency, or your child is ill, this is not a requirement. It is very important to report to your school nurse any illnesses or medical conditions your child has that may require medical support during the school day. If your child experiences an emergency or needs immediate care that cannot be provided at school and a parent cannot be reached, emergency contacts will be notified in your absence.

HEAD LICE FACTS

 Head lice are:

• common among children ages 3-11.

• not related to cleanliness/good hygiene.

• spread by extended direct head to head contact, sharing brushes/combs, or sharing head coverings.

• totally dependent upon a human host to live and typically die within 24 hours without one.

• not a public health risk, so there is no need to alert parents of lice cases.                                 

Our district policy:

• send students home when live lice are found.
• prohibits readmission to school without proof of treatment.

• requires an parent/guardian to bring a student to school for a reentry lice check by the school nurse or principal's designee.

• requires a student returning with living lice, to be sent back home for further treatment.                                  

 It is not our district's practice:

• to check the heads of all our students in a class or grade. Students are referred for a lice check if there are signs of lice or lice are visible. 

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO:

5 EASY STEPS:

1. Check your student's head periodically for lice.

2. Treat the lice infestation if found and remove any nits. (remaining nits can hatch and cause reinfestation)

3. Wash the bedding and clothing items (sheets, pillows, jackets, hats, etc.) in hot water and dry on high heat.

4. Vacuum soft household surfaces (mattresses, carpets, couch, etc.)

5. Check family member's hair and treat if indicated.

6. Retreat affected family members in 7-10 days (per manufacturers' recommendation) in the event any remaining nits have hatched.

SCDPH Head Lice Information

SCDPH Head Lice Information for Parents

How to Examine for Head Lice

Chesterfield County School District requires a permission form for the administration of all prescription and non-prescription medications. Completed forms must be updated and renewed yearly. All medications must be delivered to the school nurse or other designated school employee by the student's parent, legal guardian or another designated adult over the age of 18. (Do not send with child) All medications, except those for students who have proper written orders to keep medications with them, will be maintained in the health room. CCSD has the authority to reject certain medication requests to be given at school. At the end of each school year, arrangements should be made with the school nurse to pick up unused medications. If the medications are not picked up, they will be destroyed per CCSD policy.

Important tips:

• School Nurses rarely go on field trips.

• At least 2 weeks prior to the field trip, notify the school nurse of your child's special health care needs.

• Complete field trip form.

• Prescription medication, unless routinely taken during school hours will require a new doctor's permission. Pharmacy labels on medications are not considered Doctor's permission.

• OTC medication must be in its original container with label intact and have written parent/guardian permission

• No medication in baggies will be accepted.

Field trips can be fun for the student but worrisome for the parent if their child has a chronic health condition or takes medication. Typically, the school nurse does not go on field trips, so early planning and meeting with the school nurse/teacher can help alleviate fears and concerns.

It is important that you fill out the Field Trip Medical Form giving the school as much information as possible even if we know your child has a chronic medical condition, because the teacher will take this form with them on the trip.

All medication for the field trip must be supplied by the parents. If your child has medication(s) at school that is needed on the field trip, contact the school nurse to make arrangements.  The medication must be in the original pharmacy-labeled or manufacturer-labeled container and only the amount needed for the trip needs to be in the container. No medication in baggies will be accepted.

If your child requires life-sustaining or emergency medication (insulin, Inhaler, EpiPen, etc.) please inform the nurse to make sure the proper permission forms are signed by the physician so that they can Self-Monitor/ Self-Medicate if possible.

If your child has an inhaler, insulin injection, or EpiPen in the school’s health room, do not assume it will be sent. It is your responsibility to contact the school nurse/teacher to make arrangements for these to go with your child on the field trip.

· Over the counter medications must have signed parental consent.

· Medications must be brought in the original unopened labeled container with the student's name clearly identifiable on the outside.

· The medication will be administered per the manufacturer’s label instructions only.

· CCSD does not provide stock over-the-counter medications and will not administer them unless brought in by a parent/guardian.

· The medication must be accompanied by CCSD Non-Prescription Medication form and signed by the parent/guardian.

· Student starting new medications that have never been taken before should receive the first dose at home.

Non-Prescription Medication Permission - english

Non-Prescription Medication Permission - Spanish

• Students requiring prescription medications at school will require both parental and physician orders/authorization.
• All medications will be provided by the parent/guardian and administered as prescribed by the physician.
• Medications can only be given at the time prescribed by the doctor for school use.
•  If your child forgets to take a morning dose of medication at home, school nurses cannot administer that dose at school.
• However, parents will be allowed to come to the health room to give the missed dose of medication.
• Students starting new medications that have never been taken before should receive the first dose at home.
• Prescription medications must be in the original container and labeled by the pharmacist.
• Only a 30-day supply of medications will be allowed at the school.

Prescribed Treatment Form - English

Prescribed Treatment Form - Spanish

• Students with the required self-medicate/self-monitor physician orders will be allowed to keep their medications with them per district policy.
• The student must be able to demonstrate proper use and safety of the medication.
• If there is evidence that student who self-monitor or self-medicate could possibly cause injury to themselves or others, the school district may refuse to allow the student to self-carry his/her medication.

Self-Monitor/Self-Medicate