Notes from the Health Office
Notes from the Health Office
1-8-13: Flu season is here
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Influenza (flu) season is here. Influenza spreads when a person with the flu coughs or sneezes. You can help us prevent the spread of influenza in the Sartell-St. Stephen District by taking the following important steps:
1. Keep your child home if he or she has symptoms of the flu. That means a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, with cough and/or a sore throat. Students who have these symptoms at school will be sent home. Other symptoms that may occur with flu include runny nose, headache, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea (in addition to fever and cough or sore throat).
- When you contact the school to say that your child will be out sick, please let us know if they have flu symptoms (fever of 100 degrees or greater along with cough and/or sore throat). This is VERY important and will help us keep track of the amount of flu activity in the school.
- “Stomach flu” is generally not the flu at all. Influenza is defined by the 100 degree or more fever with cough and/or sore throat.
2. Sick children should stay home for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone without use of fever-reducing drugs like Tylenol or Motrin. Children still need to stay home until their fever has been gone for 24 hours even if they are on antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu (oseltamivir) or have had a flu test that is negative. Flu tests are not always accurate. Children should not come back to school if they are not well enough to participate in school activities, even if their fever has been gone for 24 hours. Children staying home with flu symptoms should also avoid contact with others except to get medical care. This includes staying away from after-school and other activities.
For more information on influenza, visit the Minnesota Department of Health website at http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/flu/index.html
Thank you for your assistance in helping to reduce the spread of influenza in our school.
11-6-12: Cough Drop Procedure Change at the Elementary Schools!
Cough drops may now be administered in the elementary schools without a doctor’s order.
Three requirements must be met:
1. The cough drops/lozenges are provided by the parent/guardian.
2. The cough drops/lozenges are to be housed in the health office.
3. A written request can be honored for the first day of use.
After the first day, the ‘Cough Drop Authorization Form’ must be signed and returned.
Cough Drop Authorization Form can be found in the health forms section.
9-21-12: No Shots: No School.It is Minnesota Law that all students enrolled in school be up-to-date with his/her immunizations or file a notarized legal exemption with the school. An updated immunization history or contentious exemption must be provided to your child’s health office by Friday, October 12, 2012 or your child will be excluded from school until the correct paperwork is on file. We want to keep all of our students in school, safe and healthy. Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated. If you have questions you can contact District Nurse Asha Poepping 656-3706 X1208 or asha.poepping@sartell.k12.mn.usor your child’s health assistant.
Health Offices Going Green
The Health Offices are going green and summer health care plan mailings are discontinued. Individual healthcare plans (IHP's) are available on the school web page under Health Services. Please print and complete the appropriate form if your child has health conditions such as asthma, bee sting allergy, seizures, diabetes, etc...These care plans need to be reviewed and signed by both the physician and parents and submitted to your child's respective health office by August 10, 2012. If you have questions, please contact your child's health office staff at 656-3701 before June 1, 2012.
Important Dates to Remember:
August 27th, 2012 (Monday) - Fall Special Dietary Needs and Life Threatening Allergies Meeting will be held from 6:30-7:30 PM at the HS auditorium (the updated policy and procedures will be covered and the food services and health staffs will be present).
September 10th, 2012 (Monday) - Starting on this date, all students that remain non-compliant with Minnesota Immunization laws will be excluded from school until they meet compliance requirements.