Faculty & Staff Health Policies Handbook

Health Policies Handbook for Faculty

& Staff

Table of Contents

Nursing

The health care program at St. Philip’s includes one full-time nurse on campus throughout regular school hours, from 7:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The school nurse annually provides training on blood-borne pathogens, EpiPen training, and basic first aid guidance to all faculty and staff. In addition, at least one faculty/staff member per building is certified in First Aid and CPR. All teachers and aftercare staff are aware of any documented allergies or medical concerns pertaining to students under their care The campus has two AED’s, one in the main office and a second in the school clinic located in the 1140 house The school nurse supervises all matters relating to the health of every student The nurse or designated personnel will call the parent/guardian for students who may become ill or injured in school The school nurse will provide a nursing assessment for treatment, referral and any required first aid It is not within school nurse practice to diagnose or treat beyond immediate first aid and specific emergency care for allergies, asthma, diabetes and other health conditions where there is a directive and an emergency care plan by the medical provider

Health Monitoring:

It is up to each school family to monitor each child’s health on a daily basis. No individual should be on campus if presenting with any illness symptoms, until proper diagnosis and treatment occurs. Please follow our School’s illness policies found on pages 3-6 for return-to-school guidance.

If a child will be kept home due to illness, please report the symptoms to the school nurse to allow for proper illness tracking on campus and to receive additional guidance on return-to-school requirements based on diagnosis and/or presentation of symptoms.

Adherence to this policy will help ensure our community stays as healthy as possible, and will help limit illness transmissions on campus.

Hygiene Procedures:

Hand hygiene, along respiratory etiquette and adherence to our illness policies, are integral parts of maintaining a healthy school environment. Additional portable hand washing stations are present on campus along with hand sanitizing stations. We urge parents to review proper hand washing techniques with their children. Frequent hand washing will be encouraged throughout the school day, including but not limited to:

● After using the restroom

● After PE and outdoor activities

● Prior to snack and lunch

● When hands are visibly soiled

Sick-Day Guidelines

All families are asked to report any and all illness symptoms to the school nurse for proper tracking of school illness trends. If any illness symptom occurs (no matter how mild), the individual should stay home and follow our School’s illness policies which can be found on the following pages. In the case of any un-reported absences, the nurse will reach out via email or phone to confirm the reason for absence

Symptoms Requiring Absence from School:

● Fever (100 4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher), chills, body aches

○ Or a low grade fever that is accompanied by other symptoms

● New or Persistent symptoms of upper respiratory illness/infection

○ Cough

○ Sneezing

○ Nasal congestion, runny nose

○ Fever

○ Discomfort/pain in the nasal passages

○ Scratchy or sore throat

○ Headache

● Persistent abdominal pain

● Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea

● Bacterial illnesses during the first 24-48 hours of various antibiotic treatments

● Suspected symptoms of pink eye

○ Redness

○ Itching/Stinging Sensation

○ Discharge and/or “weepy” eyes

● Undiagnosed, new, and/or untreated rash or skin condition with/without one or more of the following:

○ Additional illness symptoms

○ Generalized hives

○ Wound with purulent drainage (thick “milky” drainage that is tan, yellow, green or brown and likely indicates infection)

○ Unable to leave the rash/skin condition alone to focus on learning

Procedures for early dismissals due to illness or injury:

If a student needs to be sent home due to illness or injury, the school nurse will call the parent or guardian listed in the child’s Magnus Health account. Students being sent home due to illness or injury must be picked up by their parent, legal guardian or previously approved Pick-Up person within 30 minutes following a call from the school nurse. All pick-ups due to illness or injury will occur directly from the main office, unless otherwise specified by the school nurse

When to Return to School:

All students must be at least 24-hours fever-free to return to school for all illnesses (without the use of fever-reducing medications such as Advil, Motrin, Tylenol, etc ), and all other symptoms should be greatly improved (at least 75% improvement)

For illnesses requiring antibiotics, students must complete at least 24-hours on the antibiotics in addition to the guidelines listed above in order to return to school

Students must be able to comfortably participate fully in all school activities upon return. If symptoms are found to be persistent or distracting to student learning, the School may send the child home.

Diagnosis-Specific Guidance for Return-to-School:

EYE, EAR, NOSE, THROAT & CHEST

Illness

Difficulty breathing, taking medication that may cause drowsiness or breathing difficulty or other signs of serious illness

Bronchiolitis, Bronchitis, Common Cold, Croup, Pneumonia, & Most Sore Throats

Flu or Flu-like Symptoms with fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, muscle pain, tiredness; may also have vomiting and diarrhea

COVID-19

Strep Throat

Sinus Infection

Pink Eye or Conjunctivitis

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

Mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr Virus)

Ear Infection

Return to School

Keep child home. Consult with your child’s physician.

Keep child home until 24-hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications All other symptoms must have improved by at least 75%

Keep child home until 24-hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications. All other symptoms must have improved by at least 75%.

Keep child home until at least 24-hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications. All other symptoms must have improved by at least 75%.

Keep child home until 24-hours after antibiotics have been started; 24-hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications.. All other symptoms must have improved by at least 75%.

Keep child home until symptoms have greatly improved and treatment has been initiated by a doctor

Keep child home until seen by a doctor and 24-hours after 1st dose of medicine, if prescribed.

Keep child home until 24-hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications. All other symptoms must have improved by at least 75%.

Keep child home until 24-hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications All other symptoms must have improved by at least 75%

Keep child home until pain is well managed and child is able to comfortably participate in all school activities.

GASTROINTESTINAL

Illness Return to School

Viral Gastroenteritis (Norovirus or Rotavirus) or symptoms of “Stomach Bug” - abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea

Pinworm

Keep child home until at least 24-hours symptom-free and able to tolerate a regular diet

Keep child home until seen by doctor and after receiving first dose of treatment

SKIN OR RASH

Illness Return to School

Head lice

Chickenpox (Varicella zoster virus)

Impetigo (Staphylococcus or Streptococcus Bacteria)

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (Coxsackie Virus)

Fifth Disease (Parvovirus B19)

MRSA/Abscess/Staph Infection

Molluscum Contagiosum

Rash (New/undiagnosed rash or rash with fever and/or behavior change)

Keep child home until treated and all live lice and nits are removed. If treated at home, child must be evaluated in the school clinic prior to returning to class. If treated at a lice clinic or by a doctor, please submit a certificate of treatment or clearance note upon return.

Keep child home until they have no new lesions for at least 24-hours AND all lesions are dried and crusted for more than 24-hours in fully immunized children

**During an outbreak of chickenpox, children who are NOT fully vaccinated for chickenpox (Varicella) and have been in close contact with someone sick with the infection will not be allowed at school for 21 days after they were last exposed to chickenpox, even if they are not sick

Keep child home until 24-hours after antibiotics have been started and all lesions are covered until they have dried and/or resolved

Keep child home until 24-hours fever-free and all lesions have dried and/or resolved If presenting with other symptoms, they should have greatly improved (by 75%)

Keep child home until at least 24-hours fever-free and all other symptoms have greatly improved (by 75%).

If symptom-free and diagnosed only after rash onset, child may return to school provided rash is not causing discomfort (child is no longer contagious, but should still be reported to the school nurse).

Keep child home if the sore is draining and cannot be covered with a clean, dry bandage.

Keep child home if they cannot keep from picking at sore or cannot leave bandage(s) applied throughout the school day. Must be at least 24-hours fever-free to return to school

If lesion/lesions are first found at school, child may stay until end of the day if it can be covered Child may attend school as long as the affected area/areas remain covered with clothing or light bandage

Keep child home until seen by a doctor and treated if needed.

Ringworm If ringworm is first found at school, child may stay until end of the day if it can be covered. Treatment must be started following diagnosis, and the area must remain covered until completely healed.

Scabies

Child must stay home until after treatment is complete

Guidance for Illness-Induced Asthma in Children and Return-to-School:

For children with a documented diagnosis of illness-induced asthma, we recognize that coughs may linger for some time following colds and other upper respiratory illnesses Please keep your child home upon the onset of symptoms for proper diagnosis and illness management Child may return once 24-hours fever-free and all other symptoms have resolved aside from a mild lingering asthmatic cough, unless otherwise specified Child must be able to comfortably participate in all school activities upon return

Teacher Expectations for Students Returning to School Following Illness:

If a student returns to school following illness, and is still presenting with persistent illness symptoms, teachers are expected to report these symptoms to the school nurse for case review, evaluation in the school clinic, and possible dismissal depending on diagnosis and symptom history and/or documentation of a physician’s medical clearance to be at school.

Medical Excuses from PE and Other Physical Activities:

Requests for accommodations, including excuses from PE, use of crutches or other physical accommodations must be in writing from the medical provider. A follow-up note from the provider is required once the student is cleared to resume normal daily activities. When a student is medically excused from PE, they are also required to sit out from recess and other physical activities.

Health Forms & Health Management

Magnus Health:

St Philip’s will continue to utilize Magnus Health for all student medical records All families are required to complete student Magnus Health documents prior to the start of in-person learning and as listed on the due date in each child’s Health Tracker All documents must be uploaded by each family directly into Magnus Health

Immunizations:

St. Philip’s Episcopal School mandates immunizations as required by the Florida Department of Health. In addition, in light of recent resurgences of measles and other preventable diseases, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church passed the following resolutions at its June 2019 meeting.

● The Episcopal Church does not recognize a valid claim of theological or religious exemption from vaccines for its members

● The Church urges members to adhere to science-based medical practices and to seek and follow the guidance of trained medical professionals.

The Florida Department of Health requires that current immunization records (Form DH680) be filed with the School Information for each student must be filled out by a physician and returned to the School prior to class attendance. Compliance with this state policy is essential so that every St Philip’s student is protected from unnecessary illnesses and that epidemics of preventable diseases are eliminated. Each student also requires a School Entry Health Form (DH3040) upon initial entry to St. Philip’s Episcopal School.

An exemption from immunization requirements is permissible only with a physician’s certification as to the need for either a temporary (for those who are in the process of completing necessary immunizations) or permanent (for those who are unable to be fully immunized due to medical reasons) medical exemption

An exemption from immunization requirements is not permissible for religious, philosophical, personal, or other reasons other than medical. No student will be admitted to class on the first day of school unless current health and immunization forms are on file. For immunization forms that expire during the school year, any student who is more than two weeks past the expiry date will not be permitted to attend school

February 27, 2024

Allergies and Food on Campus:

St Philip’s is committed to student safety, and therefore has several policies and procedures in place to reduce the risk that children with allergies will have an allergy-related event St Philip’s is an allergy aware campus and also requests that students refrain from bringing any nut-containing products to school Your cooperation plays a huge role in this effort In the School Kitchen, no nut products, seed products or shellfish will be used St Philip’s cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment for students with life threatening allergies The goal is to minimize the risk of exposure to allergens that pose a threat to those students Through family efforts and diligence, in conjunction with school policies and procedures (listed below), we can do everything in our power to make sure all of the students at St Philip’s are safe

Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians:

● Any allergy must be documented and reviewed each year via Magnus Health on the Vital Health Record.

● Allergy Action Plans: Any student with a food or severe insect/environmental allergy must turn in an Allergy Action Plan at the beginning of each school year There are no exceptions If the student’s Allergy Action Plan remains the same every year, the student’s pediatrician or allergist must still complete the Allergy Action Plan annually

● A Prescription Medication Form will also be required in Magnus Health prior to each school year for any medication listed on the allergy action plan.

● If the child’s pediatrician prescribes an Epinephrine Auto-injector, the School requires two injectors (full set) per child; one for the clinic and one for the classroom Any other medication required for the child (ex antihistamine, inhaler, etc.) must be given to the school nurse as well prior to the start of each school year.

● If your child has any life threatening food allergies, be sure to review the daily food offerings with your child to help guide their food choices.

● Educate your child about his/her food allergies, along with recognition of symptoms.

Responsibilities of Students:

● Take responsibility for avoiding allergens.

● Students are not to share or trade food items

● Students with allergies should reach out to an adult if a question arises during the school day regarding possible allergen exposure.

● Wash hands before and after eating

Lunch Program Procedures for Students with Food Allergies:

● The school nurse will meet at the start of each school year with the FLIK staff to review all known food allergies, as well as when updates arise during the year.

● Students with specific food allergies will be oriented at the start of each school year on a separate line for obtaining their lunches A FLIK staff member will serve them appropriately based on the daily food offerings

○ For PreK-Kindergarten, lunches will be pre packaged and labeled with students' names for those with specific food allergies.

● Morning snacks for students with specific food allergies will be labeled daily with the student’s names

Responsibilities of the School Nurse, Faculty and Staff:

● The School nurse will meet individually with all faculty and staff to review proper Epinephrine Auto-injector usage along with assigned courses detailing the recognition of allergy symptoms.

● The school nurse will meet individually with all faculty and staff to review their student specific allergies for the year

● Each homeroom will be supplied with class specific Epinephrine Auto-injector pouches with their students’ ordered injectors, instruction of usage cheat sheet, a list of possible symptoms., and copies of their students’ Allergy Action Plans

● All teachers are provided with Magnus 911 accounts, in order to access emergency student information when off site

● All homeroom classrooms will be supplied with a visual picture of each student allergen for each school year to post.

Outside Food

Due to concerns about student exposure to allergens, no outside food is permitted on campus for distribution during school events and celebrations The consumption of outside food during school hours must be approved in advance by the school nurse. St. Philip’s will provide snacks for any students remaining in after care. Students may also pack snacks to be consumed after school. Please ensure that all snacks are peanut and tree nut free. Students may not share snacks.

Medication Policies and Procedures at School:

The school nurse is not permitted to administer prescription or non-prescription medication without written medical authorization The Over-the-Counter Medication Form and the Prescription Medication Form are available via Magnus Health and should be filled out by the student’s physician and signed by both parent and ordering physician prior to the beginning of the academic school year or as applicable.

Medications listed on the Over-the-Counter Medication Form are available in the school clinic These are intended for safe, symptomatic relief of minor conditions that do not warrant exclusion from school. The school nurse will administer such medication only with the physician & parent’s signatures on file and parent approval Regardless of submitted orders, parent/guardian will be contacted prior to the administration of any medication listed on the order form.

The Prescription Medication form provides permission to the school nurse and/or designated school personnel to assist or perform the administration of any of the student-specific medications listed on the form during the school day or during off-campus trips as specified Should a change in any of the ordered medications occur, it is a parent/guardian’s responsibility to provide a revised, written physician’s statement and parent authorization to the school nurse.

Medications supplied for a student must be brought to the school nurse only by a responsible adult and kept in the school clinic unless otherwise specified, and all medications must be in their original labeled container Medication orders must be renewed annually. Changes to any medication requires a new authorization form. The parent/guardian will be responsible for ensuring that medications provided to the school have not expired. It is a parent/guardian’s responsibility to notify the school in writing when there is a change in medication regimen or medical history Medications will only be administered if a completed authorization form has been submitted.

Whenever possible, medication administration should be scheduled for times outside of school hours. Any new prescription (including antibiotics) must be started at home All homeopathic medications must be given at home

Students are prohibited from carrying any medication at school (with the exception of asthma inhalers, epinephrine auto-injectors, insulin and Glucagon when appropriate and approved by the ordering physician and parent/guardian).

For All Medications:

Make sure the medication being provided matches the exact orders written on the order form, including dosage and frequency/time of administration

Make sure medication being provided has not expired

If delivering medication(s) at the start of a new school year, delivery should occur prior to the first day of school (Please coordinate drop-off with the school nurse)

Medication should be provided in its original labeled prescription packaging directly to the school nurse

If providing an over-the-counter medication, it should be a new (unopened) package and should include:

Student Name

Grade

Visible Expiration Date on Packaging

Medication-specific Instructions:

For prescribed Epinephrine Auto-injectors, the complete set must be provided (one injector will be kept in the clinic and another in the homeroom)

Please make sure the brand of auto-injector (i e EpiPen, TEVA, AuviQ, etc ) matches the ordered brand name on the Allergy Action Plan and Prescription Order Form

For prescribed Nebulizer Treatments, please ensure the medication matches what is ordered on the Asthma Action Plan and Prescription Order Form, including dosage and frequency

Please provide a new/unopened package

Labeled tubing and mask must also be provided along with the medication

If the asthma action plan calls for a peak flow meter, please be sure to supply it for your child labeled with his/her name

For prescribed Inhalers, please ensure the medication matches what is ordered on the Asthma Action Plan and Prescription Order Form, including dosage and frequency

If your child requires a spacer and/or mask attachment, labeled mask and/or spacer must be provided along with the inhaler

If the asthma action plan calls for a peak flow meter, please be sure to supply it for your child labeled with his/her name

For Controlled Substances (i.e. ADD/ADHD medications), please ensure the medication matches what is ordered on the Prescription Medication Form, including dosage and frequency

Provided medication will be counted by the School Nurse together with the parents or designated staff member upon each delivery.

The date of receival, amount provided and witness signatures/initials will be documented with each delivery.

Medication will be stored in a locked container within a locked cabinet in the School clinic

For Diabetes Management, please contact the school nurse for further instructions

The School recognizes that sun protection is an important health concern. It is recommended that families use a PABA free, broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF values of 15 or higher “PABA free” means that the product does not contain para-aminobenzoic acid. PABA free sunscreens are hypoallergenic. PABA has been known to cause problems with some individuals with certain allergies.

● Students or parents/guardians should apply sunscreen at home prior to starting school in the morning

● Students are allowed to carry and apply sunscreen for any after school/enrichment activities (if authorization form is provided to the school nurse)

● Only stick sunscreens will be allowed at school

● Only siblings are allowed to share sunscreen

● Staff may assist a student who is unable to physically apply sunscreen when requested by the student and authorized by the student’s parent/guardian Staff will only apply to the face if assistance is needed

● It is not the responsibility of the teachers/staff to monitor when sunscreens run out or expire

● The parent authorization form will be required for any student who will be applying sunscreen during school hours (the authorization form can be obtained from the school nurse). Teachers will receive a list of students authorized to bring sunscreen from the school nurse

● PreK3, PreK4, and Kindergarten: The student’s labeled sunscreen should be given to the school nurse and will then be provided to the classroom teachers for use prior to afternoon enrichment activities only

● 1st-5th Grade: Students may carry their labeled sunscreen in their backpacks for self-application during afternoon enrichment activities only

When to Send a Student to the School Clinic

Classroom First Aid Guidance

Symptom

Small paper cuts, abrasions, picked scabs

Mild stomach ache and/or nausea (No other symptoms)

Minor nose bleed or trace blood on tissue (not due to injury)

Lost Tooth (not due to injury)

Anxiety/stress/psychosocial/behavior issue

Treatment

1. Have the student wash the affected area and their hands with soap and water

2. Apply band aid if needed (included in classroom first aid kit)

1 Before a Meal: give snack or lunch, use restroom

2. After a Meal: use restroom and rest

3 Drink water

If persistently complaining after 20 minutes following above interventions, call the nurse and send to the clinic for further evaluation.

1 Have student pinch nose with tissue or gauze with the head straight

DO NOT BLOW NOSE

If nosebleed persists after 5 minutes, call nurse and send to clinic

1 Rinse mouth with cool water - if actively bleeding, may sent to the clinic

2 Store lost tooth in tooth bag/treasure box (included in classroom first aid kit)

If not affecting breathing or physical health – try snack, redirection, or please refer to school counselor or department head prior to sending to clinic.

All Classrooms have first aid kits which include:

Band aids Gauze (various) Gloves Nosebleed Nasal Clips

Face Masks Thermometer

Emergency Blanket Ice Packs

Illnesses:

Student EpiPens (class specific) Disposable Underwear (PreK-1)

Tooth bags/treasure boxes Ice Pack Covers (if gel packs are given)

Send to School Clinic (located in 1140 House)

Injuries & Miscellaneous:

Fever, chills Head injury

Cough, shortness of breath

Nasal congestion, persistent runny nose

Sore throat

Loss of taste or smell

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Headache lasting longer than 20 minutes

(not relieved by rest, food, and/or water)

Severe or persistent stomach ache with/without nausea and/or “guarding” behaviors

Wound larger than ¼ inch wide or uncontrolled bleeding

Fall from height higher than the student

Bee sting or insect bite

Severe nose bleed continuing after applying pressure for 5 minutes

Lost or broken tooth and/or mouth injury due to fall or trauma

Injury to extremity/limb where use is limited, inability to bear weight/limping, extreme “guarding” or crying

Eye Injury

Various injuries where student is unable to focus in class

Unusual Fatigue or not acting like “normal self ” Medication administration

New onset rash/hives

Earache lasting longer than 30 minutes

When in doubt, send to the school clinic

“Stay in Place” – Await School Nurse Arrival

The student is unable to walk safely to the Health Office

Confusion/doesn’t seem to be acting their “normal self ”/disorientation

During or after a seizure – if no reported history of seizures, 911 should be called

Feels dizzy or faint and/or gait is unsteady

Decreased level of consciousness

Shortness of breath/respiratory distress

Suspected spinal cord injury/severe head injury (DO NOT MOVE POSITION OF STUDENT)

Sudden vision impairment

Diabetic “lows” resulting in inability to follow commands, to swallow, or loss of consciousness

Massive bleeding

Anaphylactic reaction (refer to student’s allergy action plan provided by school nurse if applicable; do not hesitate to administer emergency medication as trained)

Individual judgment call of staff or based off reported condition as directed by the school nurse

Signs & Symptoms of Allergic Reactions :

Please note that the severity of symptoms can change rapidly for some individuals.

Severe symptoms (Anaphylaxis) require immediate administration of epinephrine injector and should be treated as medical emergencies.

Medical

In any life-threatening emergency, using the VOLO mobile app by selecting the “Medical Emergency” button, and follow procedures outlined in the School’s Emergency Response Plans

Heat Exposure Guidance

St. Philip’s will follow WetBulb Globe Temperature guidelines set forth by the FHSAA (under Policy 41 “Exertional Heat Illness”) to guide daily procedures related to outdoor activities (Recess, PE & Enrichments Sports).

The WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight, which takes into account: temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle and cloud cover (solar radiation). This differs from the heat index, which takes into consideration temperature and humidity and is calculated for shady areas

WBGT will be monitored throughout the day by the coaching staff. They will post which color the weather conditions are at and it will be located outside of the portico entrance Please monitor the posting when going outside for recess/PE.

The following guidelines should be followed by students and staff to minimize the risks of heat exposure:

Suggested Actions and Impact Prevention

WBGT(F)

Precautionary Actions

< 82 Normal Activities

82.1 - 87 Three separate four-minute rest breaks per hour of activity.

87.1 - 90

90.1 - 92

> 92.1

Maximum 2-hour activity time. Four separate 4-minute rest breaks per hour of activity.

Maximum 1-hour activity time. Five separate 4-minutes rest breaks over the 1 hour of activity.

NO OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Below is a link to the National Weather Service’s interactive website for more information related to WBGT: WET BULB GLOBE TEMPERATURE

Students should not be outside if the WBGT is above 92.

All students should bring their water bottles during all outdoor activities.

Water breaks will be provided every 12-15 minutes (in a shaded area when possible).

Students will have access to water at all times if needed.

Our coaching staff will be using the following UM WeatherSTEM website to monitor local weather conditions: University of Miami WeatherSTEM