ACSD School Illness Guidance

Please complete the annual health update form that is sent home at the start of the year.  It is important for us to have any updates to your student’s medical history, medications, permission for over the counter medications, and permission for emergency care. Reach out to your school’s front office if you lose yours.

If your student has a medical condition that may require treatment, monitoring, or other needs at school, please reach out by email or phone to make us aware of the issue.  If you have an emergency plan from a healthcare provider for concerns such as asthma, allergies, seizures, or diabetes please share these with us as well.

If your student has received any of the school-required vaccines since last year, please send us this info.  We do not need dates of flu or COVID vaccines.  If your student has a religious exemption, please complete and send us an exemption form yearly.

By clicking on this link, you can access the most updated information and resources on vaccinations through the Vermont Department of Health.  This includes annual vaccination rate data, school vaccination requirements, information on exemptions and exemption forms.  Please reach out to the school nurse with any questions!

We do not allow students to carry prescribed or over the counter medications on them at school.  Exceptions to this include students who carry an inhaler, EpiPen, Benadryl, diabetic supplies or other emergency medications and it is developmentally appropriate for them to do so.  Daily medications that need to be taken during school hours can be kept in the nursing office.  These require orders from the prescribing healthcare provider, caregiver permission for administration at school, and should be sent to school in the original pharmacy bottle.  We ask that any medications be dropped off by an adult and not sent to school with a student.  We have a variety of over the counter medications in the health office for students to access for daily concerns such as headache, cramps, upset stomach, seasonal allergies, sore throat, etc.  We do need signed permission on the annual health form to administer these.

Per Vermont state requirements, the school nurse will complete vision and hearing screening on students in the following grades: Kindergarten, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12.  We are also happy to screen your student if you have concerns at any time. If these screenings are abnormal you will receive a letter with the screening results to review and share with your student’s healthcare provider.

We expect students and staff to stay home with any potentially contagious  illnesses or symptoms including the following:

1. Vomiting/diarrhea-must be 24 hours symptom free before returning to school
2. Fever 100.4 or greater (Please note this used to be 100 or greater, but this has changed with the input of our district medical consultants at Porter Pediatrics)-home until fever free without use of medication for 24 hours
3. Any infection requiring antibiotic-keep your student home until they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours
4. Persistent cough that disrupts normal activity
5. Unexplained rash
6. Influenza-stay home until fever free without medication for 24 hours
7. Any other symptoms or  illness that impedes a student’s ability to learn or staff’s ability to work.

You may return once feeling well enough to be at school and fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.

The School Nurse is licensed by the VT Board of Nursing and the Department of Education and is available to all students, teachers, administrators and staff to provide a safe and healthy school environment. The School Nurse is also part of various support and safety teams in schools and in the district.  The School Nurse performs health assessments, first aid, emergency care, administers medications and health counseling as needed, creates emergency medical plans and provides case management and support services to students and families.
To be dismissed from school because of illness or injury, students need to consult with the School Nurse. The Nurse contacts parents/guardians to receive permission for students to leave school.

Click here to view our COVID infographic

Vaping is a catastrophic public health problem that affects so many of our students here in ACSD.  Tobacco companies and companies who produce vaping products target young people and want to get our kids hooked.  The creation of vaping products that are easy to obtain and easy to use are creating a generation of kids who are getting addicted to nicotine quickly and sometimes without even realizing that the vape product they are using may contain nicotine.  

It is easy for kids to engage in “stealth vaping” as the devices used are sleek, small and often look like other common items like USB/thumb drives, asthma inhalers and pens.  There is even a camelbak type backpack with a built-in vaping device and some that look like toys.

Below are some resources to help educate caregivers on the effects of vaping, the products currently available and resources to help talk to your kids about vaping and how to help if they are addicted to nicotine. 

Vaping Visual Dictionary - Resources on how vapes work, what they look like, and different ways to use them

The Vape Mall and Flavorwest - popular sites where kids can easily order vape and nicotine products

Become an Ex - Resources for caregivers

Vermont Department of Health Vaping Toolkit - Great info and resources for caregivers, educators and students

Knowledge and awareness around vaping is so important.  Please reach out to your school nurse, prevention specialist, counselors or administrators if you have questions or need support.