For your child’s safety, please remember:

Prescription medication

All PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS…

• must have written physician and parent/guardian signatures on the Prescription Medication Form before medication can be administered at school. (FORM HERE).

• must be administered as labeled.

• must be brought to school by a legal guardian or designated person over 18 years of age and given directly to the school nurse or designated school personnel.

• If your child forgets to take a morning dose of medication, school nurses are not allowed to give that dose at school. Parents may come to the Health Room to give the missed dose.

Over the counter medication:

• Over-the-counter medications may be provided by the parent if it is in the original container and unopened, clearly labeled with the student’s name, and is accompanied by written parental permission. (FORM HERE) 

• Parents are responsible for knowing the expiration date of any medication brought to school and replacing medication before the expiration date. 

• School Nurses will not administer any medication past the expiration date.

• All medication will be administered per label instructions.

• School nurses are legally required to administer only medications with FDA approval.

• No medication containing aspirin can be given at school without a doctor’s authorization. This includes but is not limited to Pepto Bismol, Excedrin, and some OTC cold medications.

• All medication must be in the original container.

Self administer/self monitor medication(s)

• Medications that are approved for self-administering are asthma inhalers, Epi-Pens for severe allergic reactions, and insulin for diabetic students. 

• Students with medication prescribed by a health care provider contained in the original packaging and appropriately labeled may carry these medications, may self-monitor and may self-administer these medications ONLY if we have permission from the prescribing doctor and the parent/legal guardian. If there is sufficient evidence that unsupervised self-monitoring or self-medicating would seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others (ex: stimulants, pain relief medication, antidepressants), the school district may refuse to allow the student to carry his/her medication. 

• If the student will be carrying EMERGENCY medication(s) such as a rescue inhaler and/or  EPI-PEN, use the following form(s) and mark the “YES” box on the appropriate Authorization form (Anaphylactic Authorization Form and/or Asthma Management Authorization Form). 

• These form(s) as well as a Student Self Administer Agreement form must be completed and turned in to your school nurse prior to allowing your student to self administer in the school setting. 

•  Asthma rescue inhaler (FORM HERE) 

• EpiPen/Epinephrine for severe allergic reactions (FORM HERE) 

• Insulin for diabetic students (FORM HERE) 

• Student Self Administer Agreement Form (FORM HERE) 

The use of CRUTCHES at school requires a medical note from the medical provider who prescribed the crutches. The note must be turned in to the nurse before the student can use the crutches at school. The medical note must include the following: 

• Name & DOB

• Diagnosis/Reason for the use of crutches

• Length of time crutches will be used at school

• A list of accommodations, i.e. the use of the elevator, avoid stairs, special parking privileges. 

Please note: All students must have written confirmation from the medical provider to resume normal activities. 

State Immunization Requirements

All students must have an official South Carolina Certificate of immunization or a South Carolina Religious Exemption on file at school.

A 30 day Special Exemptions will be given to the student to allow time for immunization records to be obtained. After 30 days, per South Carolina law, the student will be unable to attend school without the official certificate.

You can obtain more information or make an appointment at the Department of Public Health at 855-472-3432.   Helpful link: DPH Website - Search "Immunization" 

In an effort to decrease the spread of contagious illness at school, the school would like to remind you of the following:  

FEVER - If your student has fever, they must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school (without the use of fever reducing medications).  Fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4 or greater.

DIARRHEA - If your student has diarrhea, they must be diarrhea free for 24 hours before returning to school (without the use of diarrhea suppressing medication).  Diarrhea is defined as 3 or more episodes of loose stools in a 24 hour period.

VOMITING - A student may not come to school if they have vomited 2 or more times in the last 24 hours.  A student should have 1 or 2 meals without vomiting before returning to school.          Helpful link:  DPH Website - Search "Exclusion List"

Please keep the health room informed of any changes to your student’s health so we can be better prepared should there be an emergency. Here’s to a happy, healthy school year!