Immunizations
The State of Ohio requires that each student meet the minimum vaccine requirement in order to attend school. Full date (month/day/year) of each required vaccination must be on file no later than two weeks after the student has entered school. As required by Ohio law, a student may not be permitted to continue to attend school without this required information on file. Please obtain the proper dose(s) of:
Ohio Law also requires that all students have a physical prior to starting school. The physical needs to be dated in the current year. Immunizations are available from the Fairfield County Health Department (740-652-2800) or from your healthcare provider. Please call the agency of your choice for further information or to schedule an appointment. It is highly recommended that you do not wait until August to have your child's vaccines updated, as appointment times are limited. Ohio Law requires school districts to exclude any student who does not have record of receiving the required immunizations. Please submit a copy of your student’s immunization record and physical to the school nurse.
Medication Reminders
No medication can be given at school without the proper paperwork. State law requires that all medication brought to school be in the original container and be accompanied by a signed statement containing the child's name, medication name, dosage, and frequency of administration. This applies to both prescription and non-prescription drugs.
- Medication must be signed into the clinic by an adult. Students cannot transport medication.
- The medication permission form must be completed by the parent for non-prescription drugs and by the parent and physician for prescription drugs before a medication will be dispensed to a student at school.
- New medication permission forms must be completed each school year.
- Cough drops, essential oils, Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are medications and do require a completed permission form.
- All unused medication must be picked up at the end of the school year. Any unclaimed medication will be disposed of at the end of the year.
When to Keep a Student Home
There are many common school age illnesses. Many of the illnesses require the student to stay at home. Sending an ill student to school puts other students and staff at risk. A sick child is uncomfortable and unable to concentrate during the school day.
- A student with a temperature of 100.0 or above needs to be kept home. He or she may return to school when free of fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication or at the direction of the child’s physician.
- A child who is vomiting or suffering from diarrhea needs to remain at home until he/she is symptom-free for 24 hours.
- Any child who is on antibiotics for strep throat, impetigo, ringworm, bacterial infection or other condition needs to stay home until 24 hours after antibiotics/anti-fungal medications are started.
- Any child who is complaining of headache, sore throat, cough, extreme fatigue, stomach ache, earache or injury that is severe enough to decrease the child’s ability to participate in class needs to stay home.
- Any child diagnosed with pertussis (whooping cough) must remain home for five (5) days after antibiotic treatment has been started.
- Any child with yellow or green drainage from the eye(s) should be seen by a doctor and needs to stay home for 24 hours after antibiotic drops are started, if they are prescribed. The child should have no drainage from eye(s) when returning to school.
- A child with a rash of unknown cause should stay at home until a doctor confirms the rash is not contagious. Students with chicken pox need to stay at home for seven (7) days or until all the lesions are crusted.
- Children with head lice must be treated and have no live lice. Nits are to be removed prior to coming back to school.
Communicable Disease
There are many Communicable Diseases that are common in school aged children. Parents/guardians must inform the school if their student is diagnosed by a physician with a Communicable Disease. Some examples would be: Varicella (chicken pox), influenza (flu), strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink-eye), impetigo, head lice, pertussis (whooping cough), ringworm, fifth’s disease, measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), meningitis, hepatitis, scabies, or other communicable disease.
If your child has a chronic medical condition, please contact the school nurse.
Janeen Thompson, School Nurse, Rushville Middle School and Pleasantville Elementary
Jennifer Pike, School Nurse, High School and Bremen Elementary
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