Health Services » Procedures

Procedures

Health Office

Office hours are Monday through Friday from 7:45 am – 4:15 pm excluding holidays and student breaks (Summer, Thanksgiving, Winter, & Spring). Our Health Services Technician at West Ranch is Mrs. Stacee Stephens-Carrillo.

Contact Information:
  • Phone: 661-222-1220, extension 114
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Location: Main Administration Building
 
When a child becomes ill at school, they will receive every care and consideration. Parents/guardians will be contacted. With so many students and little space in the health office, we ask for your full cooperation in picking up a sick child in a reasonable amount of time. We do not have the accommodations for a child to remain in the health office for an extended period of time and will generally direct the student to return to class after approximately fifteen (15) minutes. However, if they are deemed quite ill, they need to be picked up as soon as possible. If a parent/guardian is not able to pick up their student, alternate arrangements may be made with the Health Services Technician to release the student to another adult. It is our mission to provide a safe and healthy environment for our students.
 
Policy
HEALTH GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
There are three (3) optimal outcomes for students and the school community considering health and school attendance:

1. Protection of the individual student who is ill and may require medical treatment during the
school day.
2. Safety of the school community by preventing the spread of infectious diseases during the
school day.
3. Comfort of the individual student and school community to maximize learning/achievement in
the school setting.
 
Students will be sent home from school for the following health conditions:
    • A fever of 100˚ or greater. Students should be fever free (without the use of fever-reducing
      medication) for twenty-four (24) hours before returning to school.
    • Signs of a respiratory infection. Any student with a suspected upper or lower respiratory
      infection. Symptoms may include fatigue, irritability, poor appetite, ear ache, sore throat,
      thick yellow or green sputum or nasal discharge, cough, or difficulty breathing.
    • Symptoms of systemic infection other than respiratory (fever, pain, redness, discharge,
      swelling).
    • Undiagnosed eye infections (redness, itching or pus draining from the eye).
    • Undiagnosed skin conditions or rashes that are suspected to be contagious.
  • Diarrhea
  •  Nausea/vomiting
  • A seizure activity lasting longer than 3 minutes or any seizure that results in injury or distress of vital signs.
  • An oxygen saturation level that is below 94%, and/or irregular breathing.
     Active lice.
 
Students may be sent home for certain conditions that inhibit learning, productivity, and school success:
    • Acute pain (headache, toothache, stomach ache, ear ache, recent injury, etc.).
    • Upset stomach requiring medication or treatment for the discomfort of constipation.
    • Excess fatigue or lethargy.
    • Persistent, inconsolable crying.
    • If the student misses a regularly scheduled behavior medication.
 
Students may attend school with the following health conditions:
  1. Students may attend school with the following health conditions:
    Infection(s) being treated with antibiotics. Student must start antibiotics 24 hours before
    returning to school.
  2. Skin lesions/rashes that are fully covered and determined not to be contagious by a healthcare
    provider.
  3. Symptoms that are expected to be related to an established health condition. Parent/guardian must provide a note from a healthcare provider specifying the diagnosis, expected symptoms and any modifications, restrictions or interventions needed during the school day.

The state mandate regarding suspected infections disease is Education code 49451, which states, “Whenever there is reason to believe that the child is suffering from a recognizable infectious disease, they shall be sent home and shall not be permitted to return until the school authorities are satisfied that any contagious disease does not exist.”
 
PHYSICAL EDUCATION PARTICIPATION / DRESS POLICY
Students are expected to participate in class activities each day. The program is designed to allow students access to some physical education activities even when circumstances (such as health reasons) prevent normal participation. The following procedures will be implemented when circumstances arise which prevent regular P.E. participation.

When a student is excused from participation in specific regular P.E. activities:
  • The student will participate in the regular activity on a limited basis as determined by the student’s health condition, or
  • The student will dress, stretch and walk, or
  • The student will dress, stretch and assist in the managing of a P.E. activity
 
When a student is excused from dressing and participating in all regular P.E. activities due to a doctor’s
note:
  • The student will do a written P.E. assignment and complete a follow-up activity When a student fails to bring the proper P.E. uniform:
  • The student will be loaned a replacement uniform for the day and will participate in the normal daily activities
  • Replacement uniforms will not be provided for long term use
 
When a student does not participate in specific regular P.E. activities because the student claims illness
or health disability:
  • The student will be asked to dress, stretch and participate in limited activity, and bring a parent/guardian note the next school day verifying the excuse so that full grade points can be earned.
  • The student who is not able to stretch and participate in limited activity will be asked to do a written assignment and bring a note from a parent/guardian the next day verifying the excuse so that full grade points may be earned.
  • The teacher may refer the student to the health office or counselor when the teacher believes the student needs medical attention or when the student frequently does not participate in regular P.E. activities.
 
PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING AN EXCUSE FOR LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN REGULAR P.E. ACTIVITY
 
All Physical Education (P.E.) or athletic non-participation notes MUST be turned into the HEALTH OFFICE as soon as the student arrives at school. P.E./non-participation notes SHOULD NOT be given to the P.E. teacher or sport coaches.
  • A parent/guardian note may excuse a student from participating for a maximum of three (3) consecutive days. Any note excusing the student for more than three (3) consecutive days must be from a physician. The note should
    • Specify the type of activity (or activities) the student should be excused from performing (such as running, jumping, heavy lifting, heavy physical exertion, using left arm, etc.)
    • State the reason the student needs to be excused from specific activity
    • Student excused from P.E. will be required to dress, stretch and participate in limited activity unless the parent/guardian or physician requests the student be excused from these activities due to the health concern.
  • A student requesting to be excused from dressing or regular participation in excess of 21 days per quarter will be referred to a counselor. The health technician will receive the student’s P.E. excuse, make a copy and send the student with the note to their counselor for further assistance.
 
MEDICATION – PRESCRIBED AND OVER THE COUNTER
 
ALL medications required a district medication form to be completed by a parent/guardian and physician. This form is available on the District website or from the school’s health office. When completed, the form MUST be returned to the health office.
 
Any student found with medication at school without the appropriate form(s) on file in the health office, will have the medication confiscated with release only to a parent/guardian.
 
It is the practice of the William S. Hart UHSD that no employee give medication to a student. Whenever possible, parents/guardians should enlist their physician’s cooperation wot work out a schedule which will eliminate the necessity of administering medication at school. However, under special circumstances, when school attendance of a child is contingent upon uninterrupted medication necessitating a dose during the school day, and when the physician having responsibility for the medical care of the child makes specific recommendation, an exception may be made. In such a case the following procedure must be followed:
  1. Deliver the school a completed district medication form from the physician detailing the method, amount, and time schedules the specified medication is to be taken.
  2. Provide a written statement from the parent or legal guardian requesting the school district o assist the student according to the physician’s statement.
  3. Assure that each medication is in its original container, clearly labeled, with the student’s full name, the physician’s name and phone number, the name of the medication, dosage, schedule, and date of expiration of this prescription.
  4. Inform the school when any medication change is made. This includes a change in the type or nature of medication, as well as a change in the dosage of medication.
  5. Deliver to either the school health technician or the district nurse only the medication to be administered. The parent or legal guardian should carefully monitor the amount of medication which is sent to school and when the medication is running low, should make arrangements to replace it.
  6. If appropriate, provide a completed self-administration medication form signed by the parent/guardian and the physician who authorizes the student’s self-administration of medication. Under no circumstances will school personnel be responsible for obtaining medication for any student. This procedure was established to protect your child and to avoid the sharing of medication among students.
Under no circumstances will school personnel be responsible for obtaining medication for any student. This procedure was established to protect your child and to avoid the sharing of medication among students.
 
If your student gets ill while on campus – especially when in class – please encourage your student to let their teacher know they feel sick and request to go to the Health Office. Our well-trained Health Services Technician will provide the best care possible for your child and is the quickest way to facilitate release into your care as expeditiously as possible.