Health Services

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL
    
Early Childhood Through 12th Grade 

Minnesota Immunizations Law Section 121A.15 requires all students enrolling in an early childhood education program, elementary and secondary school be in compliance with the Minnesota State Immunizations requirements. Medical and conscientious exemptions are allowed under the law.  

EXEMPTION REQUIRED

• A statement from a medical provider indicating that the immunization is contraindicated for medical reasons. 
• A notarized statement signed by the parent/guardian because of a conscientiously held belief.
   

SPECIFIC VACCINE REQUIREMENTS 

To see all vaccine-specific requirements for each grade and complete details on the immunization requirements for students in early childhood programs through 12th grade. See​ "Are your kids ready for school?" immunization charts

NEW IMMUNIZATIONS? LET US KNOW

Please remember to notify the school health office when your child receives new immunizations. It's important to have updated immunizations records.  

GETTING IMMUNIZED

Contact your family health provider or clinic
Call Rice County Immunization Clinics 507-332-6111 or go to: 

Rice County Immunizations Clinic

Call your school Health Office Nurse if you have questions about your child's immunizations.
 

Infectious Disease Exclusion Guidelines and Policy

PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING INFECTIOUS DISEASES FOR THE PROPER SCHOOL GUIDELINES. 

Chicken Pox
Excuse until all the blisters have dried into scabs and no new blisters or sores have started within the last 24 hours; usually by day 6 after the rash began.
Chickenpox is still a common disease. It takes 10-14 days after receiving the vaccine to develop immunity, vaccine failure occasionally occurs, and the incubation period is 10-21 days. Therefore, exclude children who appear to have chickenpox regardless of whether or not they have received varicella vaccine, or develop blisters within 10-21 days after vaccination.

Conjunctivitis
Usually no exclusion. Call your healthcare provider if the student has a fever or other symptoms (e.g., pus, eye pain, or eyelid redness). Once antibiotic treatment is started, the student may return to school unless they are unable to keep their hands away from their eyes and pose a risk to other students.

Diarrhea (Infectious)
Exclusion not usually necessary. However, A student that is not feeling well and/or needs to use the bathroom at frequent intervals should not be in school. Exclusion may be necessary during outbreaks or in other circumstances.

E. Coli 0157:H7 Infection
Exclusion not usually necessary. However, students that are not feeling well and/or need to use the bathroom at frequent intervals should not be in school. Exclusion may be necessary during outbreaks or in other circumstances.

Fifth Disease
No exclusion, if other rash-causing illnesses are ruled out by the healthcare provider, since students with fifth disease are no longer infectious once the rash begins.

Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease
Exclude until fever is gone and the student is well enough to participate in routine activities (sores or rash may still be present).

Head Lice
No exclusion.  (See headlice policy)

Hepatitis A
Exclusion usually not recommended. Consult with your local or state health department. Each situation must be looked at to decide if the student with hepatitis A can spread the virus to others.

Hepatitis B
No exclusion. A student who is infected with hepatitis B virus may attend school. If they have unusually aggressive behavior (e.g., biting), a behavior plan may need to be made. A team of medical experts should assess oozing sores that cannot be covered or bleeding problems on a case-by-case basis to determine whether exclusion from some activities is necessary. Exclusion from school will rarely be necessary as more students become vaccinated against hepatitis B.

Hepatitis C
No exclusion. A student who is infected with hepatitis C virus may attend school. A team of medical experts should assess oozing sores that cannot be covered or bleeding problems on a case-by-case basis to determine whether exclusion form some activities is necessary.

Herpes, Oral infection
No exclusion

Herpes Gladiatorum
Exclude from contact sports until all sores are dry and scabbed. Treatment with oral (by mouth) medication may shorten exclusion time. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) guidelines recommend exclusion of wrestlers for 5 full days after treatment with oral antiviral medication has begun before they can return to competition.

Impetigo
Exclude until treated with antibiotics for 24 hours and sores are drying or improving.

Influenza
Exclude until fever is gone and the student can participate in classroom activities.

Lyme Disease
No exclusion

Measles
Exclude for 4 days after the rash appears. A student with measles should NOT attend any activities during this time period.

Meningococcal Disease
Exclude until the student has been on appropriate antibiotics for at least 24 hours.

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Colonization and Infection
Exclude if draining sores are present that cannot be covered or contained.

Mononucleosis (infectious)
No exclusion

Mumps
Exclude until 9 days after swelling begins.

Pertussis (Whopping Cough)
Exclude until 5 days after appropriate antibiotic treatment begins. During this time the student with pertussis should NOT participate in any school or community activities.

Ringworm
Exclude until 24 hours after treatment has been started. After this period participants of contact sports (such as wrestling) may return if lesions can be covered. If lesions cannot be covered participants should be excluded for 5 days.

Rubella (German Measles)
Exclude until 7 days after the rash appears.

Scabies
Exclude until 24 hours after treatment begins.

Shigellosis
Exclusion not usually necessary. However, a student that is not feeling well and/or needs to use the bathroom at frequent intervals should not be in school. Exclusion may be necessary during outbreaks or other circumstances.

Shingles (Zoster)
No exclusion, if blisters can be covered by clothing or a bandage. If blisters cannot be covered, the student should be excluded until the blisters have crusted. A Student with severe, disseminated shingles should be excluded regardless of whether the lesions can be covered.

Staph Skin Infection
Exclude if draining sores are present that cannot be covered or contained.

Streptococcal Infection (Sore Throat/Scarlet Fever)
Exclude until 12 hours after antibiotic treatment begins AND the student is without fever.

Tuberculosis
Consult with the local or state health department. Each situation must be evaluated individually to determine whether the student is infectious and poses a risk to other students.

Viral Meningitis
No exclusion

Warts
No exclusion

For more information, contact your Healthcare Provider, local Health Department or your child's school health office.

Head Lice Procedure

Faribault Public Schools is committed to maximizing students’ academic performance and physical well-being in a healthy and safe environment. A head lice procedure based on the evidence-based recommendations of state and national health organizations will prevent unnecessary absences and the potential negative effects on academic performance. The Pediculosis (head lice) protocol for Faribault Public Schools is intended to outline roles, responsibilities and expectations of the school community to assist with controlling head lice in a consistent and coordinated manner. Head lice are a common nuisance in schools, and households. 

Within schools, head lice are a cause of student absences, student embarrassment and time consuming work by the health office staff working in identification and parent counseling regarding treatment. Faribault Public Schools recognizes that head lice infestations do not pose a health hazard, are not a sign of uncleanliness, and are not responsible for the spread of any disease. Children found with live head lice will be referred to the parent for treatment.  

Faribault Public Schools also recognizes that prompt treatment by the parent once lice are identified is important to prevent continued infestation. It is recognized that no child should routinely be absent from school due to head lice and parents are expected to treat promptly when needed and return the child to school after treatment. School staff shall maintain the privacy of students at all times.

Students are identified as having head lice in a variety of ways such as parental report, teacher suspicion and confirmation via “head checks” by school health personnel, “head checks” of common family members, and “rechecks” of recently infested students. At any time, if the nurse deems that it is necessary to send the student home because they have lice, then they may do so. Also, parents may voluntarily pick up their students if they have lice.

When a child is identified as having head lice within the school setting, the following steps will be taken with the child and involved family:

First Time Lice is identified: STEP A

• Parents are notified and encouraged to pick their child up and get the treatment started so they are able to come back to school the next day. Picking up a child is voluntary unless the nurse deems that it is necessary to send the student home due to live lice.   If the family has other school age children, their heads are also checked for live lice and the same procedure is followed.   
• Lice treatment information, lice treatment calendar, and parent responsibility checklist will be given as well as the importance of following the directions of the treatment. Parent education and hands on demonstrations by the nurse are done at the time of child pick up and as needed. 
• If the child’s parent cannot be reached, the nurse will leave messages for the parents and send Lice treatment information, lice treatment calendar, and parent responsibility checklist along with a note explaining that live lice were identified and that the parent should treat the child.  The child may ride the bus home.  It is the expectation that the child will be treated before returning to school.    
• If parents express to school health personnel that lice treatment is a financial hardship, possible resources may be available. 

Readmission to School

• Students that have lice may return to school after the first head lice treatment has been completed.  Parents will be informed that their child must be free of live head lice in order to be re-admitted to school.  Upon arrival, the nurse will check the child’s head to ensure no live head lice are present.
• If no live lice are found, but nits are still present, student may return to class.  
• Nurse will recheck the student in 1 week, 2 weeks and as needed.  
• Nurse will remind parents to continue to follow the lice treatment calendar and retreat 7-10 days after the first.   

Second Time Lice is identified:

• Repeat Step A

Third Time Lice is identified:

• Repeat Step A 
• Building Principal is notified.  
• Parents will be requested to go to the doctor to get a prescribed treatment. A meeting may be requested at this time by the RN/Licensed school nurse.   

If reinfestation occurs, initial actions by school staff will include but are not limited to: 

• Parental contact by school health personnel with information such as “Checklist: Recommendation for Reinfestation of Head Lice” and effort will be made by school staff to provide guidance and counseling regarding the head lice condition.
• Consideration of a home visit by RN/Licensed School Nurse if:
  -there is a request by a building principle
  -reinfestation continues
  -an assessment is made that the family is having difficulty with recommended treatment procedure
  -parent requests 

Parent notification:

• Periodic notices may be posted in the principal’s parent newsletter, and classroom newsletters to remind them to check their children’s heads regularly for head lice.
• When there is a student found to have live lice, a letter will be sent home with other students in the same grade to inform parents of the increased incidence of head lice and remind them to check their children for head lice.  This same note will be sent home when new cases of head lice are discovered unless the new case occurs within the same week.

Guidelines 

Whenever possible, parents and guardians should make arrangements so that it is not necessary for the school personnel to administer medication to a student.  If a student is to take medication during the day at school it's important to follow these guidelines:     

• Written parental permission authorizing the nurse or delegated school personnel to administer the medication.  
• Written order from the physician indicating the necessity of any   prescription or over-the-counter medication, including the dose and how often it can be given.   
• Medication must be in the original labeled container. Prescription medication must have the pharmacy label with phone number of pharmacy, students name, physicians name, medications name, dosage, time to be given, and route of administration.  A pharmacist can supply a duplicate labeled container so one can kept at home and one kept at school. Administration of any over-the-counter medication follows the same guidelines as the prescription medications. Over-the-counter medications must come in the original unopened container.   

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and Ibuprofen Authorization

Written parental permission must be received to administer acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen products.  Medications must be furnished by the family and brought to school in the original unopened container and property labeled with the students first and last name. These forms are available from the school health office or can be accessed by selecting the links to the right.  

• All medication is to be brought in by an adult directly to the health office. Please do not put any medication in your child's bag.    
• Any medication found will be kept in the health office and parent will need to pick up.  
• No medication is given if it is not in the original container and without the proper documentation.  
• Medication must be picked up the last day of school or within two weeks of discontinue.  All medications will be destroyed if not picked up within this time.  

Medications that are to be administered at school are to be kept in the Health Office.  

Exceptions are students who may carry their asthma inhaler or epipen IF they have written doctor's order AND written parental permission to do so, AND have demonstrated to the health office nurse competency in administration.  

Health Services can refuse to administer medications to students if they feel it is unsafe.  If the school nurse or health office staff feel it is unsafe to administer a medication, they will notify the District Health Nurse, principal and parent as soon as possible.