Student Health

Please make every effort to schedule doctor and dentist appointments outside of the school day in order to minimize disruptions to your child’s education. Students who have a doctor or dentist appointment during school must report to the office to be signed out by a parent and will count toward attendance. Parents must sign in students at the office upon their return.

Youth suicide impacts the safety of the school environment. It also affects the school community, diminishing the ability of surviving students to learn and the school’s ability to educate. Suicide and depression awareness and prevention are important Board goals. More information on the District’s Suicide and Depression Awareness and Prevention policy may be found on the website (Policy 7:290). The State of Illinois has implemented supports for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. Similar to 911 for medical emergency help, anyone in distress – or anyone trying to help someone who is – can now call a simple three-digit number, 988, to speak with a trained counselor.
• Students seeking emotional support can also text HOME to 741741, the Crisis Text Line, to reach a trained volunteer counselor.
• Illinois Mental Health Crisis Line, call 988 or text HOME to 741741
• Safe2Help Illinois also has 24/7 help available via a hotline (844-4-SAFEIL), a text line (72332), and email (HELP@ Safe2HelpIL.com) — plus a website full of resources for young people seeking help for themselves or a friend. Safe2Help Illinois provides a confidential way for students to share safety concerns.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor
• Safe2Help Illinois Helpline: 1-844-472-3345

If your child has been diagnosed with allergies, please inform the school nurse using the form provided at registration or by contacting the school. The school nurse will review this information and contact you with any questions, concerns or suggestions for managing your child’s allergy in a school setting. While it is not possible for the District to completely eliminate the risks of exposure to allergens when a student is at school, a Food Allergy Management Program using a cooperative effort among families, staff members and students helps the District reduce these risks and provide reasonable accommodations and appropriate treatment in the event of an accidental exposure to allergens. (7:285)

Students have access to school social workers, school psychologists, and at Hadley, counselors. These professionals support the social-emotional health of students and their families and consult with teachers and administrators about the most appropriate services. (7:250)

Lice are not evidence of poor hygiene. The district’s head lice procedure is in line with evidence-based practice and is based on recommendations from the Center for Disease Control. The process is outlined in the Board policy Administrative Procedure Measures to Control the Spread of Head Lice at School. School nurses will screen children for head lice if there is reason to believe lice may be present and follow the appropriate protocol. School staff will make every reasonable effort to respect the child’s privacy. (7:250AP)

District 41 employs two full-time licensed certified school nurses (CSN) who provide support to the whole district. Each building employs at least one full-time registered nurse (RN). The school nurses work closely with staff members, families and adjunct services to contribute to the attainment of optimum health and safety in a school setting. Health information and health forms can be obtained in the school nurse’s office or accessed on the health services section of the District website.
• Communicable Diseases: The administration follows Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines regarding communicable diseases. Parents are asked to report contagious diseases that have been diagnosed by a physician to the school and inform the school of changes in the child’s general health or physical status. A doctor’s note may be needed to re-admit a student who has been absent due to a communicable disease or any illness.
• Physical Education Excuses: Students may be excused for 5 school days from gym and recess if a parent provides a note to the health office. A physician note indicating the duration of the excuse is required if a student is out of gym/recess for more than 5 school days.
• Vision and Hearing Screenings: All children enrolling in kindergarten or for the first time in an Illinois school shall have an eye examination. The eye examination shall be performed by a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist. The eye exam must be completed within the calendar year prior to the start of school and be submitted to your child’s school health office prior to October 15. Annual vision screening is conducted in grades K, 2, 4, 8 and for students receiving special education services. New students and students in grades Pre-K, K, 1, 2, 3, 8 and students receiving special education services are screened for hearing. Following any of the screening procedures, parents will be notified if referral to a physician is indicated.
• Dental exams are required for students in kindergarten and grades 2 and 6 by May 15th of each school year.
• Physical examinations are required by the first day of the academic school year for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and grade 6 students, as well as any student new to the State of Illinois. The exam must be completed by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant and is considered valid if dated within one year of the first day of school. Out-of-state physicals may be accepted upon review by the school nurse. Students who are new to the District and begin after the first day of school have 30 days from their start date to submit a valid physical and up-to-date immunization record to the health office. While records will be requested from the child’s previous school, it remains the parent’s responsibility to ensure the documents are received within the 30-day period. Failure to comply will result in the student’s exclusion from school.
• Immunizations are required by the State of Illinois and pre-determined immunization schedules are followed by medical facilities in Illinois. The school nurse at your child’s school will review all immunizations and will communicate any discrepancies or possible concerns. Immunization records are required the first day of school each year.
• Please keep your child home if he or she displays fever greater than 100.4°F, vomiting or diarrhea related to any illness within the last 24 hours. Students should be symptom free (without the use of medication) for at least 24 hours. Contact your physician if he or she has a rash or unusual skin condition, persistent cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. If your child shows any unusual condition or seems generally unwell, please talk to your physician before sending your child to school. Contact your child’s health office to communicate any health-related concerns. (7:100, 7:270)
• Illness at school: A student complaining of not feeling well may be sent home as soon as the school makes proper arrangements. Students will be released only to persons listed on the emergency card that is completed by parents, and it is important that this information is kept up to date.
• Medication: If your child needs to take prescription or nonprescription medications during the school day, you must have a District 41 medication form signed by the doctor and on file with the school. The parent or guardian should bring new, unexpired, unopened medication (in its original prescription or over-the-counter, childproof bottle) to the school nurse along with the Medication Authorization Form. All medications will be administered by school personnel; students may not carry or administer medications with the exception that students may carry prescribed rescue asthma inhalers medication, or Epipens epinephrine injector, and/or a medication required under a qualifying plan while in school if a liability waiver and a signed medication form is on file in the nurse’s office. (7:270) District 41 maintains a supply of undesignated opioid antagonists at each school in the event of an opioid overdose while at school or a school related event. The Superintendent or designee shall implement 105 ILCS 5/22-30(f) and maintain a supply of undesignated opioid antagonists in the name of the District and provide or administer them as necessary according to State law. Opioid antagonist means a drug that binds to opioid receptors and blocks or inhibits the effect of opioids acting on those receptors, including, but not limited to, naloxone hydrochloride or any other similarly acting drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Undesignated opioid antagonist is not defined by the School Code; for purposes of this policy it means an opioid antagonist prescribed in the name of the District or one of its schools. A school nurse or trained personnel, as defined in State law, may administer an undesignated opioid antagonist to a person when they, in good faith, believe a person is having an opioid overdose. Each building administrator and/or his or her corresponding school nurse shall maintain the names of trained personnel who have received a statement of certification pursuant to State law. See the Ill. Dept. of Human Services website for information about opioid prevention, abuse, public awareness, and a tollfree number to provide information and referral services for persons with questions concerning substance abuse treatment. (7:270).

District 41 Student Accident Insurance is free and covers all District 41 children while participating in school-sponsored programs or school-supervised activities, including athletics.