Student Health Services

At Wabasha-Kellogg Public Schools, we believe that learning and teaching thrive in a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment. The physical and emotional well-being of every student is a top priority.

To support student success, it is essential that we work together to keep our schools healthy. This shared responsibility between families, staff, and students helps ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for all.

Please monitor your child for any signs of illness and follow the guidelines below before sending them to school. We understand the challenges of keeping children home when they are not feeling well, but this cooperation plays an important role in maintaining a healthy school community.

Illness Guidelines

Fevers (100 degrees F or higher): Students must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication before returning to school
Vomiting: Students may return to school 24 hours after vomiting has stopped
Diarrhea: Students may return to school 24 hours after diarrhea has stopped
Coughing: Coughs need to be controlled and noncontinuous in order to come to school
Rashes: Undiagnosed skin sores or lesions must be completely covered by clothing or bandages, and students cannot have any other illness symptoms (like a fever) in order to come to school. Diagnosed rashes must follow infectious disease guidelines.
Conjunctivitis (pink eye): Students can come to school unless they have a fever or other illness symptoms.

Communicable Disease

Immunizations

Minnesota Statutes Section 121A.15 requires that all children who are enrolled in a Minnesota school be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella, Hepatitis B, measles, mumps, and rubella, allowing for certain specified exceptions. Additionally, Meningococcal (Meningitis) vaccine(s) and a Tdap at age 11 years or later are both required for students in grades 7-12.

Exemptions to these requirements can be met by:

* A statement signed by a qualifying health care provider stating that the student has commenced a schedule of the immunizations, and the dates of the initial immunizations and planned dates for further immunizations are included.
* A statement signed by a physician stating that the immunization is contra-indicated for medical reasons, or that laboratory confirmation of the presence of adequate immunity exists.
* A notarized statement signed by the student's parent or legal guardian stating that the prescribed immunizations are contrary to conscientiously held beliefs of the parent or guardian.

Is your child protected? Not sure your child has had all the shots required for school?
Talk to your health care provider or contact your school nurse.

Please notify your School Health Office with any new immunization dates.

Resources:

Influenza

Influenza is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include fever, dry cough, sore throat, headache, and body aches. Influenza is not the same as the “stomach flu”. Students who have a fever of at least 100 degrees with a cough or sore throat should stay at home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Students can return to school 24 hours after the fever is gone (without fever-reducing medication) if they are feeling well enough to participate in school. Check with your child’s doctor if you are concerned about your child’s illness.

At school, we work to prevent the spread of influenza by promoting handwashing and covering coughs; encouraging influenza vaccination for students, families, and staff; and supporting staying home when sick for both students and staff.

Influenza in Schools

Medication

Medications should be administered at home under the supervision of the parent/guardian whenever possible. However, some students require administration of medications or provision of medical procedures during the regular school day. In those situations, specific procedures will be followed. Additionally, if you have concerns about your child's health, it is not the responsibility of our school staff to recommend any medications, drugs, or health remedies. Please contact your health care provider for advice.

Students who need medication, including over the counter medication, during the school day must have a written order of a licensed physician AND a written authorization of a parent/guardian on file. A form for this is available online or from any school health office. Medication provided to school must be in a pharmacy labeled container. For safety reasons, the medication must be brought to school by a parent or an adult. By law, schools cannot dispose of any unused medications at the end of the school year. Therefore it is parents' responsibility to pick up all medications by the last day of school.

If you need further information about medication administration at school, please contact the school office.

Medication Form

Head Lice

Anyone can get head lice. Although they are a nuisance, head lice do not transmit disease. Head lice are most often spread through head-to-head contact. School transmission is rare. Some common symptoms of head lice include itching and scratching of the scalp and neck, feeling that something is ‘crawling’ in the hair, sores from constant scratching, and seeing lice on the scalp or nits attached to the hair shaft. If your child has any of these symptoms, please check your child’s head for lice.

Should your child be found to have live lice in their hair during the school day, a parent/caregiver will be contacted by a health office staff member. The students may remain in school until the end of the school day and return to school after the first application of treatment has been completed per directions sent home with the student.

Head Lice Fact Sheet

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