Gina Carter, LPN

Since medical treatment is the responsibility of the parent and the family physician, no medication will be given by school personnel except in extreme cases. Proper authorization forms will be on file in the school nurse’s office. A required form can be picked up at the local school nurse’s office or printed from the LCBOE website. All medication, including over-the counter medications are required to have a physician authorization/signature and all forms must be up to date for the current school year.  No “CBD” products of any type will be given at school.  All medications must be brought by the parent/guardian and signed in with the school nurse. Stock calamine lotion, vaseline, hand lotions and aloe will be part of the school nurse’s “first aide” supplies, are not considered OTC medication and will be used as deemed necessary by the school nurse. 

** If the student brings medication to school without the PPA and the medication is required during the school hours, the parent/guardian must bring the medication to school at the specified time and administer the medication to the student. The school cannot keep or administer the medication without a signed PPA.

**Alabama State Law requires a signed doctor’s statement (Prescriber/Parent Authorization Form, PPA) that specifies specific directions for the medication needed during the school hours. This is a legal document allowing the school nurse or trained medication assistant to administer the medication during the school hours. 

Any medication not picked up by the parent/guardian, once it has expired, will be discarded in 5 days from the expiration date. Any medication not picked up at the end of the school year will be discarded by 3:00 pm on the last day students attend class for the school year, per Alabama State Law. 

Limestone County School System HEALTH POLICY

When Your Child Should NOT Be At School
Many parents are concerned about when to keep children who have been ill home from school. These are a few of the most common reasons children should stay home or may be sent home from school.
1. FEVER: Your child should stay home if he/she has a fever of 100 degrees (orally) or higher and should remain home for 24 hours after the fever has gone without medication.
2. VOMITING AND/OR DIARRHEA: Your child should stay home if he/she has vomited or had diarrhea (two times or more) prior to start of the school day. Children with vomiting or diarrhea will be sent home at the school nurse's discretion.
3. PINKEYE: Conjunctivitis can be very contagious. If the white of your child's eye is red and has a thick yellow or greenish colored_drainage, you should keep your child at home until treated.
• Drainage due to allergies is usually clear and involves both eyes simultaneously. . Pinkeye can involve only one eye at a time.
• Children with pinkeye are usually light sensitive, and complain of itching, burning in the eye(s), swollen eyelids, and dried discharge on eyelids upon awakening.
4. HEAD LICE: Children with live bugs will not be allowed in school until their hair has been treated and all steps have been taken to prevent re-infestation. The student will be excused one day per semester for live bugs.
5. RINGWORM: Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin, hair, and nails. Ringworms must be covered with a clean dressing while the child is at school. Ringworm of the head (hair) will need to be evaluated by a physician.
6. RASHES: Any child that has an undiagnosed rash should not attend school.
7. COUGHING/SNEEZING/NASAL DRAINAGE: Your child should not come to school with excessive coughing, sneezing, and nasal drainage. If your child has been kept awake at night with these interruptions, please allow the child to recover at home.
8. STREP THROAT: If your child has been diagnosed as having strep throat (this requires a special test by a health care provider), your child should stay home for 24 hours after antibiotic therapy has been started by a physician.
9. UNVACCINATED CHILDREN: During an epidemic or a threatened epidemic of any disease preventable by an immunization required by the Department of Public Health, children who have not been immunized may be excluded from the school until (1) they are immunized against the disease, unless they present valid evidence of prior disease, or (2) the epidemic or threat no longer constitutes a significant public health danger.
Please keep emergency phone numbers in the school office current.
Remember: A doctor's note and the completion of the appropriate forms must accompany any medications that are to be given during the school day. (See the medication policy regarding the temporary administration of medications).