Health & Nursing FAQs

DISTRICT HEALTH SERVICES

 The purpose of our school health program is to supplement the efforts and guidance of parents to bring about an awareness on the part of students for regular health care. The objectives of the school health program are: 

1. To promote good health habits among students. 
2. To stimulate a sanitary, safe and healthful environment in school. 
3. To assist in the identification and referral to appropriate health care providers for medical, psychological and physical needs. 

Students are referred to a nurse or health secretary when they are injured, show signs of an illness, or express the need for health care. 

Parents should ensure that current contact information is included in their students’ enrollment paperwork so that they can be contacted quickly when their student needs care.

In the event of a medical emergency, the Montezuma-Cortez School District will render emergency aid and/or transportation to a medical facility as needed. Costs incurred are at the expense of the family. Every effort will be made to contact the family in such a situation. 

School nurses develop a Student Health List and/or a Health Care Action Plan from the health history form in the registration packet. All information is confidential and is shared only on a need-to-know basis. Alert your school nurse if you do not want your student’s medical information shared with appropriate school personnel. 

The district provides period screenings for height and weight, vision, hearing, and dental health. Lice screenings will be conducted when warranted. Parents are notified when problems are identified. Parents/guardians may opt students out of routine screenings.

• Prescription and over-the-counter can be administered to students at school if parents sign a permission form.
• Students who are mature and capable of managing their own medication may bring enough for one day with them. 
• Students who need to carry asthma inhalers, epi-pens, or diabetic supplies at school may do so as long as there is a Health Care Action Plan signed by a health care provider on file in the health office. The district has policies for administration of medications for asthma, diabetes, severe allergies, seizure disorders.

Health Records 

Health records shall be maintained by the nursing staff and in a separate and secure health file in the school health office. 

Access to the health files shall be limited to only those school personnel who have a specific and legitimate educational interest in the information for use in furthering a student's academic achievement or maintaining a safe and orderly teaching environment. 

The nursing staff shall maintain a log showing who has been given access, when access occurred and to which specific records. 

Annual Screening Programs 

The sight and hearing of all students in kindergarten, first, second, third, fifth, eighth, tenth grades and preschool children or students in comparable age groups referred for testing shall be tested during the school year by the school nurse, teacher, principal or other qualified person authorized by the school district, as required by law. 

The parents or guardian shall be informed when a deficiency is found. 

This provision shall not apply to any student whose parents or guardians object on religious or personal grounds. 

Dental Health 

The school district shall participate in programs to encourage good dental health, including instruction, dental examination clinics when available and referrals to agencies which can provide aid for those in need. 

Communicable Diseases 

Students showing symptoms of a communicable disease, an infectious condition, or illness of disability or a serious nature shall be referred to the school nurse. The school nurse shall report to the principal for appropriate action the names of students with communicable diseases. 

Adopted: January 1975 
Revised: August 27, 1985 
Revised: April 21, 1992 
Revised: September 4, 2001 
Page 1 of 2 Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 

C.R.S. 22-1-116 
C.R.S. 22-32-109(i)(ee) (duty to adopt a policy prohibiting personnel from recommending or requiring certain drugs for students or ordering behavior tests without parent permission) 
C.R.S. 22-32-110 (1) (bb) 
C.R.S. 22-33-106 (2) 
C.R.S. 25-4-901 et seq. 
C.R.S. 25-6-102 20 U.S.C. 7906 (prohibition against the use of Title I funds to operate a program of contraception in the schools contained in No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) 

CROSS REFS.:
GBEB, Staff Conduct 
JF, School Admissions to/Withdrawals from School 
JHD, Exclusions and Exemptions from School Attendance 
JLCB, Immunization of Students 
JCC, Communicable/Infectious Diseases 
JCCA, Students with HIV/AIDS 
JLCD, Administering Medicines to Students 
JLCEA*, Students with Special Health Needs 

Caring for Students Closer to Home

All students enrolled in the Montezuma-Cortez School District are eligible to receive primary care and behavioral health services at the Southwest School-Based Health Center.

The Center is located at Montezuma-Cortez High School, on Sligo Street south of Walmart. The clinic is staffed and managed by Southwest Health System.

Care is provided to students regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Insurance companies will be billed for those students who are insured. An enrollment specialist is available to help parents find insurance.

• A parent or guardian must provide signed consent for students to receive care at the Southwest-School Based Health Center.
• Sports physicals are available for $31.
• Contact Southwest School-Based Health Center at 970-564-4855 or log on to their website.

Students needing medical attention shall report to the health room or main office. Health service personnel are not always available in the building. Keep contact information up to date so we can reach you quickly if your child becomes sick or injured. When determining if your child is too sick for school, refer to the “Sick Child: Home or School” guidelines in the registration packet.

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION

Students requiring prescription medications to be administered by school personnel must have a “permission for medication” form signed by the physician and parent. The medication must be in its original pharmacy issued container.

OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATION:

Comfort medicine may be given during select health room hours when parents have signed the “medicine permission consent” on the Health History form in the registration packet.

Students who need to carry asthma inhalers, epi-pens, or diabetic supplies at school may do so as long as there is a Health Care Action Plan signed by a health care provider on file in the health office. Health Care Plans for Severe Allergies, Diabetes, Asthma, and Seizures are available from the school nurse, or on the district website below. If a parent determines that a student is mature and capable of taking his/her own medicine, they may bring one daily dose with them in a clearly marked container with student name, medication name, time to be taken, date, & parent signature. These medications must be housed in the health/main office. Any student carrying medication, including over-the-counter, or who shares mediation with another student will be subject to discipline under the “Drugs at School” Policy.

Colorado State Immunization Requirements for School Enrollment were provided in the registration packet. Permission to share immunization information with the state immunization registry is on the back of the Health History form. Please contact your school nurse with questions about immunization requirements for school admission.

School nurses develop a Student Health List and/or a Health Care Action Plan from the Health History form in the registration packet. All information is confidential and is shared only on a need-to-know basis. Alert your school nurse if you do not want your student’s medical information shared with appropriate school personnel.

In the event of a medical emergency, the Montezuma-Cortez School Department will render emergency aid and/or transportation to a medical facility as needed. Costs incurred are at the expense of the family. Every effort will be made to contact the family in such a situation. If this practice concerns you, contact the school administrator. Please keep emergency contact information current with the school.

Parents/guardians may opt out of routine, non-emergency screenings provided by the district. Current screenings might include: hearing, vision, lice, height and weight. Contact your school if you do not want your child to participate in these screenings. Parents are encouraged to have physical and dental examinations for their school-aged child before entering school and again before the 4th, 7th and 10th grades. Contact your school nurse if you do not have a health care provider and would like to arrange a physical exam for your child.

Asbestos Management plans have been formulated for every RE: 1 building. Those plans are available for review by staff, parents, and the general public at the Administration Building, Cortez, CO, or at any of the occupied buildings. 5/11ps School health services information is available electronically.