Students who become ill or injured during the school day will be referred to the office. If a student needs to leave school, a parent/guardian will be contacted to pick up their student. Please be sure that the office has work, pager, cell phone numbers, emergency contact number, and the name of the child’s doctor or medical clinic. It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to provide transportation home for the child within an hour. It is important to keep the school informed of any medical condition that may interfere with learning or create a need for medical attention during the day. 

Is my child well enough to go to school?

Here are some guidelines to help in the decision making process.

• Fever - A temperature of 100 F or higher is considered a sign of illness. Your child should stay home until fever has stabilized and returned to normal for 24 hours without the use of medication.
• Vomiting, Diarrhea or Severe Nausea - Children should stay at home for 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea AND they should be able to tolerate a normal diet without further episodes.
• Infectious Diseases - Child's return to school will depend upon the recommended isolation and recovery time for the specific disease; general guidelines are fever-free for 24 hours, symptoms have been steadily improving for 24 hours, and return to normal energy level. Please notify the Health Office as soon as possible if your child is diagnosed with any contagious or infectious disease.
• Coughing/Sneezing/Runny Nose - Child's cough, sneeze and runny nose should be occasional, infrequent, and not disruptive to the classroom. The child should be able to manage symptoms and demonstrate use of good hygiene practices.
• Rashes - If your child has a new rash, check in with your healthcare provider to see if the rash is something contagious before sending them to school.
• Fatigue/Lethargic/Low Energy/No Appetite - If your child is just not 'feeling like themselves,' they are more tired than usual, don't have an appetite, are clingy, or complain about pain, it could mean that they are coming down with an illness. It can be helpful to let them rest at home and see whether symptoms worsen or improve. Once their energy level has returned to normal, they are eating well, they get a good night's rest, and they are back to their usual playfulness, that means they will likely have a productive day at school and they can return.

Immunizations

To go to school in Minnesota, students must show they have had the required immunizations or file a legal exemption with the Licensed School Nurse. Required Immunizations for Kindergarten Children:

• 5 DPT (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis)
• 4 polio
• 2 MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
• Hepatitis B Series
• 2 Varicella or documented history of disease

Parents may file a legal exemption from the Minnesota School Immunization Law for medical reasons or conscientiously held beliefs. Students not in compliance will be excluded from school. 

The document links under Health Forms on this page provide additional information on required immunizations and a form for you to complete and return to your school. 

Vision and Hearing Screening

Every effort is made to screen students for hearing and vision. As time permits, hearing and vision will be screened on an alternating schedule, based on the student's grade level. If you have specific concerns about your child's hearing or vision, please reach out to the School Nurse. Complete screenings can be done for students by request of the parent or teacher.

Medications at School

At times, it may be necessary for a student to take medication during the school day. If a medication must be administered by school personnel, the following conditions must be met:

• Written authorization by parent for both prescription and non-prescription medications.
• Written instructions and authorization from a physician for prescription drugs including dosage and frequency.
• All medications, prescription and non-prescription, must be in their original containers. Prescription medication containers should include the physician's name and pharmacy.
• Medication that is not FDA approved will not be administered in school.
• Students are only allowed to take medication in school when it is administered by the school nurse in the health office.

Exceptions include:

• Elementary students should keep their inhalers and/or epi-pens in the health office unless specific written permission to carry the inhaler and/or epi-pen is received from the physician and the parent/guardian. The student also needs to demonstrate competency in administering.

Compliance with the conditions listed above must be renewed each year. 

Parents/guardians asking school staff to give medications to their child must complete the Authorization for Administering Medication Form and have the health care provider sign every school year.

Lead Testing Plan and Results

The ISLA facilities committee conducts biennial testing of its water, surpassing the state requirement of testing water every five years. The last test on 9/7/2024 revealed lead in two faucets. Both tested lead-free after flushing, and a flushing program was implemented until repairs could be made. The faucets have since been replaced and are now officially lead-free as of 11/1/24. All drinking fountains tested free from lead. The tests also revealed absolutely NO evidence of 17 other parameters, including chlorine, copper, mercury, E-Coli bacteria, or Coliform.

State Health Care Resources

We want all students to receive affordable and appropriate health care. You can find information about health care assistance through Medical Assistance and Minnesota Care. Additional information and resources abuot Minnesota health care programs can be found on the Minnesota Department of Human Services Health care programs webpage.

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