Health Services
Dear Parent/Guardian:
During the school year your children have the benefit of school district health services.These services will be provided by the school nurse or under her direct or indirect supervision. There may be times when the nurse is away from school and no substitute nurse is available. If and when that occurs, specific school staff members have been assigned by the principal to cover the clinic duties. Please contact the school nurse as soon as possible if your child has special health needs or if his /her health status changes during the school year.
Screenings required by Texas Law:
Vision/Hearing – Required for all Pre-K, Kinder, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grades.
Acanthosis Screening – Required for all 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grades. The screening involves examining the child for skin markings that may identify students at risk for insulin resistance and for the development of diabetes.
Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) – Required for all 5th and 7th grade students.
These screenings do not replace routine health exams by your family physician.Medication Administration: To ensure a focus on student safety, Kerrville Independent School District policy is as follows:
ONLY MEDICATIONS FROM THE UNITED STATES WILL BE ADMINISTERD AT SCHOOL AND ALL MEDICATIONS MUST BE FDA APPROVED.
All medication that must be taken by a student while at school will be brought to the school clinic by the parent or guardian. Students will not be allowed to carry medication to and from school.
A KISD Medication Administration Permission Form signed by the parent or guardian must be received by the school prior to school personnel giving any medication to a student.
Any medication not used by the student must be picked up by the parent or guardian; medication not picked up will be destroyed at the end of the school year.
Parents can consider asking the pharmacy for a separate bottle to be filled and labeled for medication to be taken at school, especially if the medication is also taken at home before or after school. This avoids the necessity of the parent having to bring the medication back and forth to school on a daily basis.
Care of Ill or Injured Students: The school health program does not take the place of regular health care or routine visits to your family physician. This program does not relieve the parent/guardian of the responsibility for providing health care for his/her child, but hopefully assists the parent/guardian.
First Aid will be provided for injured children and ill children will be cared for until parent/guardian or emergency contact arrives to assume the care of the child. Parent/guardian will be asked to pick their children up from school if fever or any other potentially contagious condition is present. Children will be free of fever, vomiting and/or diarrhea for at least 24 hours prior to returning to school. There will be times when the above symptoms are absent, yet the child feels so ill that he/she is unable to participate in the regular classroom routine. Parent/guardians will be asked to pick the child up if this occurs as well.
Health Emergency Care: Actions as deemed necessary will be taken to assure the safety of your children in the event that the parent/guardian or emergency contact cannot be located. This includes calling EMS or transporting the child to the Emergency Room.
Other Information:
Pediculosis (Head Lice) Policy: According to school district policy, all eggs must be removed from the child’s hair prior to returning to school. The parent/guardian and child must visit with the school nurse prior to being readmitted to class.
Parents/guardians can help to minimize the problem by checking their own children on a regular basis and treating the hair if necessary.
Information regarding lice detection and treatment is available in the nurse’s office.
Community Resources for Health Care:
The KISD school nurses have access to a tremendous amount of health information and materials. Please contact your school nurse if you need any assistance regarding health and safety or nutrition. Also, please contact the nurse if you have any questions regarding the information in this letter.