New Life Academy strives to keep a safe and healthy learning environment for our community. Our health office is staffed full-time by Registered Nurses, who are also licensed School Nurses.
The School Nurse is here to help with:
- Caring for students with illness, accidents, and injuries
- Medication administration
- Immunization review and compliance monitoring
- Creation and implementation of individual health plans and emergency care plans
- Prevention and control of communicable diseases
- Vision and hearing screening
- Other services to promote health and maintain wellness so students can learn
Illness/Absence Policy
If a student has any of the following, he/she must stay home from school. Please report illness and symptoms to our health office through the absence report form located on the Veracross parent portal:
- Fever of 100° F or greater in the last 24 hours without using any fever reducing medications
- Vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours
- Rash (until diagnosed)
- New onset of cough, not related to chronic illness like asthma
- New antibiotic within the past 24 hours for most contagious illness
- Suspected contagious illness (until diagnosed)
- Any diagnosed communicable illness (For example: influenza, impetigo, scabies, fifth disease, hand foot mouth, chicken pox, pink eye, mono, hepatitis, measles, norovirus, strep throat)
Whooping Cough/Pertussis
Student must stay home while waiting for test results. If diagnosed positive, student must complete 5 days of antibiotic treatment before returning to school.
For any questions or concerns about illness or symptoms, contact the health office for guidance.
Health Screenings
Healthy students are better learners!
The ability to see and hear adequately is directly linked to academic success. Vision and hearing screening is done for 1 st grade students and color vision for Kindergarten boys each year. Students in grades 3 and 5 have vision screening done each year.
Additional vision or hearing screening may be requested by the teacher, parent, or student or when a student is referred for evaluation of learning difficulties. Parents will be notified of students who do not pass screening via a referral form that the health care provider completes, and then once completed it is returned to the school health office.
Immunizations
Minnesota State Law requires that all children enrolled in preschool, elementary, or secondary school to be completely immunized or have a documented exemption on file.
Parents may obtain a legal exemption for medical or conscientiously held beliefs. It is necessary to provide documentation of the exemption. A medical exemption, including documentation of a history of chicken pox, requires a doctor’s signature (see section 2 of the Student Immunization Record).
A conscientious objection requires a notarized parent signature which is also on the Student Immunization Record under section 1B.
All students must have a current Immunization Record on file at their school. Please see your Veracross Portal for the appropriate forms.
Medical Administration
- Under MN Guidelines for Medication Administration at School, all medication to be given in school must be supplied by a parent/guardian.
- Medication given in school must be F.D.A. approved and supplied in the original container or prescription bottle. Prescription medicine should be prepared by the pharmacist and sent in a prescription bottle with the appropriate labeling for school use.
- Written PARENTAL PERMISSION is required for all medication to be administered at school.
- Written HEALTH CARE PROVIDER permission, in addition to parental permission, is required for all prescription medication.
- All medication must not be expired and have accompanying specific instructions regarding when and how it is to be given, and for how long.
Self-Administration of Medication:
Students of any age with demonstrated competency and an Authorization to Self Carry an EpiPen or Inhaler Form on file in the health office may carry an inhaler (asthma medications), EpiPen, or insulin. However, only secondary students, grades 6-12 are allowed to carry over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers (e.g. Tylenol, Ibuprofen) with an Authorization to Self Carry OTC Medication Form on file in the Veracross parent portal. Students are not allowed to carry cold medicine or any other medication.
Required Forms for Various Health Conditions:
- K-5th Grade OTC Medication – Medication Authorization Form – Medication provided by parents is kept in the health office. A parent’s signature is required.
- Self Carry OTC Pain Medication for 6th-12th grade – Authorization to Self Carry OTC Medication Form – parent signature on Veracross parent portal
- Prescription Medication (e.g., ADHD Meds, Antibiotics, etc.) – Medication Authorization Form – Health Care Provider and parent signature
- Special Diet Form – to identify life-threatening food allergies, food allergies and food intolerances – Health Care Provider and parent signature
- EpiPen and Benadryl – Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan – Health Care Provider and parent signature Medication Authorization Form – parent signature only if accompanied by the Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan.
- Inhaler – Asthma Action Plan – Health Care Provider and parent signature, Medication Authorization Form – parent signature only if accompanied by the Asthma Action Plan.
- Self Carry EpiPen, Inhalers, Insulin – Authorization to Self Carry EpiPen and Inhaler Form- Health Care Provider and parent signature
- Seizure Medication – Medication Authorization Form – Health Care Provider and parent signature
For more information and access to health forms, please visit your Veracross Parent Portal.
Physicals
School Physicals:
South Washington County Schools encourages periodic physical exams for the health and wellness of all students. It is recommended that students see their health care provider for physicals before entering Kindergarten, 4th, 7th, and 10th grades. Please return the completed physical exam to the NLA Health Office.
Sports Physicals:
Students participating in sports are required to have a physical exam on file that was performed within the last three years. A completed Sports Qualifying Exam Form must be on file in the student health record.
Please visit the Veracross Parent Portal to access all physical forms.
Special Health Concerns
Health Office staff strives to assist and strengthen the student’s learning process by accommodating any existing health conditions. Please provide the health office with your child’s current emergency action plan for their health concern. These plans need to be updated annually. If deemed appropriate, an Individualized Health Plan (IHP) will be created detailing the steps we will take to accommodate your child’s health needs.
Action Plans:
Action plans for asthma, diabetes, seizures, anaphylaxis, and allergic reactions are provided and completed by your healthcare provider. It provides us with a plan to implement in case your child would experience any symptoms or problems while at school. Please update plans annually.
Special Diet Statement
The Special Diet Statement provides information about the student, defines which foods are to be omitted, and is signed by a recognized medical authority who has determined whether the student has a food allergy, food intolerance, or medical condition. New Life Academy does not provide dietary accommodations or substitutions for meals or snacks. All food preferences or accommodations must be provided by the student’s parent/guardian.
Who is considered a recognized medical authority?
A Licensed Physician, Physician’s Assistant or an Advanced Practice Nurse
How often does the special diet statement need to be renewed?
The form will need to be renewed whenever the participant’s special diet changes. If changes are not needed, the current form will follow your student from grade to grade.
Can you submit a new special diet statement mid-year?
Yes, anytime there is a change, a new statement needs to be filled out and signed by the appropriate medical authority.
- The Special Diet Statement must be completed and signed by a recognized medical authority.
- Return the completed and signed form to the New Life Academy Health Office.
- The Health Office will provide copies of the Special Dietary Statement to Food Services. Classroom teachers are notified of the special dietary need.
Please see the Veracross Parent Portal for a copy of the Special Diet Statement.
Health Forms
All required and additional forms can be found on your Veracross Parent Portal under the Health tab.