REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
Families are required to complete the following paperwork:
| ITEM | DUE DATE |
|---|
Emergency Medical Authorization Form (EMA) completed in Final Forms | Date of registration |
Record of immunizations | Date of registration |
Medical & dental statements | Within first 30 days of school |
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE POLICY
Parents are asked to keep children at home any day that they show signs of illness, such as:
- Diarrhea
- Sore throat
- Difficult or rapid breathing
- Pink eye
- Temperature of 100F or more
- Unusually dark urine
- Untreated, infected skin patches
- Evidence of lice, scabies, or other parasitic infection
- Severe coughing
- Vomiting
- Stiffness in the neck
- Yellowish skin or eyes
- Unusual spots or rashes
- Gray or white stool
Any student suspected or reported to have a communicable disease is isolated from other children, made comfortable, and examined by a health professional. Upon the health professional's recommendation, the student may be excluded from school.
Readmission is dependent upon a decision and accompanying readmission slip by a physician or health professional. You must accompany your child to school in order to have them examined and cleared for readmission. If you are unable to do this, you must make arrangements with a family member, friend or neighbor to bring your child to the school (or to the closest school building) to be checked. These rules must be followed for the protection of all the children in our schools.
Parents are informed when a communicable disease occurs in their child’s classroom or on the bus so that early signs or symptoms can be observed and the appropriate preventive measures can be instituted. Please see the appendix for more information.
ADMINISTERING MEDICINE TO STUDENTS
Many students are able to attend school regularly only through effective use of medication in the treatment of disabilities or illnesses that do not hinder the health or welfare of others. If possible, all medication should be given by the parent at home.
If this is not possible, only employees who are licensed health professionals or who have completed a drug administration program will administer drugs to students. The health professional or principal will supervise the secure and proper storage and dispensation of medication. The medication must be received in the container in which it was dispensed, and written permission must be received from the parent of the student, requesting that the health professional or principal comply with 9 the physician’s order.
The health professional or principal must receive and retain a statement that complies with state law and is signed by the prescribing physician. The parent must submit a revised statement signed by the prescribing physician to the school if any information originally provided by the physician changes. Any employee authorized to administer a prescribed drug and who has a copy of the most recent physician order cannot be held liable in civil damages for administering or failing to administer the medication.
HEARING AND VISION SCREENINGS
Per the Ohio Department of Health, preschool students are required to receive a vision and hearing screening annually for each year he/she is enrolled in preschool. Children who cannot be screened using the methods provided by the school will be referred for a comprehensive vision or hearing exam.
EMERGENCIES
If an emergency develops at school, and your child is in need of immediate first aid, school personnel will take the appropriate preliminary steps. In addition, every attempt will be made to notify the parents or guardians. For this reason, it is critical for us to have current, working emergency telephone numbers at all times. Please notify the building secretary at your child’s building if your telephone number or other listed telephone numbers or addresses change. If hospitalization is required, the child will be taken to the hospital via rescue squad at the family’s expense. The principal or designated school personnel will accompany all children transported to the hospital.
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
The schools provide the services of a health professional on duty in the clinic during the school day. The health professional is on call for medical emergencies and other health needs.
MERCY SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CLINIC
The Mercy School-Based Health Clinic provides convenient access to healthcare in our school district. The resource is available for all Lorain City School District students regardless of the school they attend. Families must sign a consent form for students to access the health clinic (although a one-time verbal consent will be granted in case of any emergency). Students are transported to the clinic via shuttle and are always accompanied by a preschool paraprofessional.
The Mercy School-Based Health Clinic provides the following services:
- Immunizations and student flu shots
- Physical exams
- Vision and hearing screenings
- Chronic disease management
- Well-child visits
- Common concerns such as bumps, bruises, etc
Mercy will work with health insurance to cover services and manage paperwork with families who do not have insurance. Bilingual support is available to students and families who speak Spanish.
HEALTHCHEK
As your child’s preschool provider, we are excited to share about Healthchek, Ohio’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program. It is a service package for babies, kids, and adults younger than 21 who are enrolled on Ohio Medicaid.
The purpose of Healthchek is to discover and treat health problems early. If a potential health problem is found, further diagnosis and treatment are covered by Medicaid. Healthcheck covers ten check-ups in the first two years of life and annual check-ups thereafter and offers a comprehensive physical examination that includes medical history, complete unclothed exam (with parent approval), developmental screening, vision screening, dental screening, hearing assessment, immunization assessment, lead screening, and other services as needed.
If your children are enrolled on Ohio Medicaid, they can receive Healthchek services. If you are younger than 21 and are also on Ohio Medicaid, you can receive Healthchek services, too.
WHOLE CHILD WELL-BEING
In alignment with our vision to keep student well-being at the center of all that we do, we must not only adhere to the medical policies outlined above, but we must also provide our students with the necessary support to be successful in any and all areas of self-care.
We know that there is no set age for a child to begin, or to become independent in certain self-care tasks such as toileting. We also know that each child comes to us with their own unique strengths, interests, and abilities, which will require a variety of approaches and strategies for toilet learning.
Lorain City Schools Preschool:
- Will no longer exclude children who are toilet learning from our preschool program.
- Will partner with families/caregivers to develop toilet learning plans that will be implemented at home and school.
- Will provide the necessary support to classroom staff and families.
- Will ensure all staff is competent in procedures for providing toileting assistance that are developmentally appropriate, ensure the child always feels safe and comfortable, and, at a minimum, follow the guidelines outlined by the Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Department of Health, and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.