SVUSD Illness Policy - “When to keep your child home”

Children that come to the Health Office with symptoms of illnesses should go home whenever they are ill enough that it prevents them from participating comfortably in school activities. 

Please keep your child home and contact your school if they have any of the following conditions:

• Fever by itself: 100.4° or more.
  • A student may return to school after they are fever free for 24 hours without medication.
• Fever with symptoms: i.e. rash, behavior changes, ear ache, vomiting, sore throat etc.
• Nausea, Vomiting & Diarrhea
  • Diarrhea: defined as 3 or more loose or liquid stools in a 24 hr. period.**keep child hydrated
  • Vomiting: in the last 24 hrs. **keep child hydrated
  • Students may return to school when symptom free for 24 hrs 
• Eyes: red and inflamed, draining white or yellow discharge or matted.
• Rash: undetermined on any part of the body, rapidly spreading, or with behavior change or fever 
  • Medical note (Release from doctor) required
• Skin infection: draining sore, boil or abscess. Must be covered. 
  • Medical note required.
•  Abdominal pain (persistent): continues for more than 2 hrs. or intermittent pain associated with fever or other symptoms.
• Flu (Influenza): usually comes on quickly, fever, cough, headache, muscle aches, tired, or weakness.
  • Return to school 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medication.

SVUSD Medication Policy

To Review the Board Policy regarding Administering Medication and Monitoring Health Conditions see BP 5141.21.  To review the Board Administrative Regulation see AR 5141.21. All medication, including over-the- counter medications, require a Medication Authorization Form, found below. 

SVUSD Lice Policy & Treatment Requirements

SVUSD Board Policy regarding lice states that a student may be excluded from school if they are found to have live lice. The Board Policy regarding Lice is 5141.33 BP 

SVUSD Procedures regarding lice:

If a child is suspected or found to have head lice, to prevent the spread of head lice infestations, staff will examine the student and any of their siblings or school age members of the same household.

• If live lice are found, the school will contact the student’s parent/guardian. Unless uncomfortable, the student may return to class until the end of the school day. However, the student may not return to school until:
  1. Parent verifies treatment per CDC guidelines (i.e. provides the empty lice shampoo box or lice removal product), and
  2. Re-examination by the site designee shows that student is free of live lice.
  3. The student will be re-examined on day 9 after the initial treatment to confirm student is free of live lice.
• If no live lice are seen but nits are present within ¼” of the scalp, the student may return to class until the end of the school day. Their parents should be notified to begin treatment.

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS If a student at your child’s school was found to have head lice: It has nothing to do with cleanliness; in fact, head lice prefer a clean, healthy head to a dirty one. Anyone, adult or child can get head lice. They are passed from person to person by direct contact or on shared objects (combs, towels, barrettes, headphones, etc.). Head lice cannot survive without a human host, or on family pets. There is little evidence to support that they carry disease.

Parents should refer to the following for CDPH Guidelines for Treatment:

A Parent's Guide to Head Lice - or En español

• Child Care / Preschool
• TK / K-12 Students
• Shots Required for 7th Grade English I Spanish

Medical Exemptions from a medical provider or doctor's office will no longer be accepted. Parents/guardians must visit https://cair.cdph.ca.gov/exemptions/home to register for a Medical Exemption. Medical Exemptions must be approved by the California Immunization Registry-Medical Exemption (CAIR-ME) website and submitted within one year of approval in which the immunization record is required. For additional information, visit CDPH Medical Exemption FAQs. 

Directions for Requesting a Medical Exemption (English)

Directions for Requesting a Medical Exemption (Spanish)

Medical exemptions issued before January 1, 2020 by physicians who have been disciplined by their medical licensing board are no longer valid. To find out if a physician has been disciplined, please look up an issuing physician’s name or medical license number on the list of disciplined physicians.

Visit HealthyChildren.org, the AAP parenting website, for information for families about immunizations.

Visit the California Department of Public Health website for additional information regarding immunization requirements. 

• A District Nurse is a Registered Nurse (RN) licensed to practice nursing by the state board of nursing with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and a School Nurse Services Credential from the State of California.
• A District Nurse promotes the health and well being of the students and the community. 
• A District Nurse practices in accordance with current:
  • Professional Standards of School Nursing Practice, as stated by the National Association of School Nurses (NASN).
  • State laws, rules and regulations.

• Decrease chronic absenteeism through health promotion, education, and management of chronic diseases.
• Develop student Emergency Care Plans.
• Perform Health screenings/referrals/follow-up.
• Disease surveillance among the district and community.
• Advocate for students and families to help get them the resources they need.
• Assist in identifying students who may need special educational or health-related services / accommodations through Section 504 or an IEP (Individualized Education Plan).
• Provide staff training to administrators, teachers, and back-up staff on the handling of emergency health needs, dispensing of medications to students, and administration of specialized health care procedures.

A School Nurse Assistant is a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) who acts under the supervision of a District Nurse and is certified in CPR and First Aid. Duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Perform specialized healthcare procedures within the framework of school laws and District policy
• Communicate with parents, school site and District personnel on health related matters
• Assist with training of Health Office Aides
• Assist with medical screening of students
• Disseminate health information
• Provide emergency medical care

Nurse Assignments

• The health office is open during school hours, Monday- Friday.
• It is regularly staffed by a trained Health Office Aide.
• Office staff will back-up the health office when the Health Office Aide is not available. 
• The Health Office Aide and back-up office staff are trained by Credentialed School Nurses.