SD308 - Health Services

Health Services

The Health Services Department is dedicated to ensuring every student has equal access to learning, regardless of health-related needs. We support students with a wide range of health conditions, including those with identified disabilities, and students participating in homebound or hospitalized learning programs. Our services extend to students in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Programs and those served by Section 504 Plans. By partnering with families, educators, and healthcare professionals, we ensure all students receive the necessary accommodations and resources to succeed in their educational experience.

To see required health forms and immunizations per grade, view the Health Requirements page

To find your school nurse or school contact info for health forms, view the Building Nurses page

For Medication Authorizations forms and info, view the Medication page

To inform your school about your child's dietary needs, please contact Patricia Alexakos with Aramark at palexakos@sd308.org and read more on Aramark

For more information on your child's, or the district's policies on 504 plans, view our 504 page

When should my child stay home from school?

Your child is too ill to go to school if they have any of the following symptoms:

Vomiting and/or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
Shortness of breath or wheezing (not controlled with an inhaler if they have asthma)
A cough that interrupts their normal activity or wakes them or other family members at night
An undiagnosed rash unless cleared by a physician's note
Drainage from the eye
Severe sore throat
Fever-If your child has a temperature of 100° (or higher) in the past 24 hours they cannot attend school. Children are to be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication before returning to school.
A contagious illness that is treated with antibiotics, such as strep throat or pink eye, and the student has not been taking the antibiotics for a full 24 hours before returning to school.

Your child is ready to go back to school when they are:

Fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication i.e. Tylenol, Motrin
Free from vomiting for 24 hours
Free from diarrhea for 24 hours
Free from rash, itching or fever and has been evaluated by their doctor if needed
Evaluated by their doctor and have note to return to school
Released by their medical provider to return to school

Communicable Diseases and Vaccines

View the Illinois Department of Public Health Vaccine letter here

Meningococcal Meningitis

MENINGOCOCCAL VACCINATION: WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW

COVID-19

COVID-19 Protocol

View the Health Service Google Drive for more information

Head Lice

Head Lice is a very common problem among school aged children. While lice can be inconvenient for students and their families, there are no health risks associated with lice. If identified at school, a nurse will examine a child's head and contact parents. Students are not sent home early from school or excluded from school for the presence of lice, per the recommendations of the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics. Education and information will be provided for the treatment and prevention of head lice to parent/guardians.

Care is taken to protect the privacy of students with lice, as per the evidence-based practices published by the CDC and Illinois Department of Public Health. Notification of the presence of lice in a classroom is discretionary and may not occur following one reported case. Most cases of lice are not transmitted at school and students are not at any health risk from the infestation. When notifications are made, they will be kept neutral, providing general guidance to parents on recognizing the presence of lice and treatment options, absent of any identifying information that could put the student's privacy at risk.

The following is some general information:

Lice are transmitted primarily by head-to-head contact, they don't fly or jump
Lice are not usually transmitted in the school setting (e.g. sleepovers, sporting events, etc.) and are often active for about a month prior to discovery
Symptoms consist chiefly of itching, and nits (eggs) can be seen on the hair shaft, and spotted quickly along: hairline, back of neck, ears, and crown of head
Nits are grayish-white, oval eggs attached to the hair about ¼” from the scalp, no larger than the head of a pin, and only removed by pulling off full length of hair

If you find head lice on your child or other family members, please notify the school nurse to provide staff the opportunity to take extra care with student contact in the classroom and the spaces and/or items that might be affected (bean bag chairs, rugs, upholstered items, coats/hats, etc.).

Treat head lice with the pesticide shampoo recommended by your doctor or pharmacist. Several treatments may be needed, and it is important to carefully follow all instructions with the product you use. Encourage your student not to share personal care items, hats, coats, etc.

Review the checklist to be sure all lice/nits are removed from any/all environments to avoid reinfestation after treatment. If you have questions, please contact the school nurse. (read full document here)

Head Lice Checklist