Health Office
The goal of our health office is to aid in the health and wellness of your child, by making sure students are current with their vaccinations, are compliant with our illness policies, and to keep your student at school and learning when possible.
The health offices at our Great Hearts Academies are staffed by Health Assistants and Registered Nurses. In the event that the school health professional is not present, trained personnel will be delegated to administer medications and respond to medical emergencies.
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- Parents should notify the school nurse of any changes that arise throughout the school year regarding changes of the child’s health status such as: a new diagnosis; new medications given at home; surgery or hospitalizations; fractures or injuries; or communicable diseases in the child or immediate family.
- The state requires certain communicable diseases to be reported by the school to provide community assistance if necessary.
- Vaccinations: The State of Arizona requires that certain vaccinations be given in order to attend school. Your students immunizations will be monitored yearly for compliance. Below are the Immunization Requirements. Please contact the Health Office with any questions.
Attendance Guidelines for Illness
A child who is sick will not be able to perform well in school and is likely to spread the illness to other children and staff. We suggest making a plan for childcare ahead of time so you will not be caught without a comforting place for your child to stay if they are ill.
A student should not come to school if any of these symptoms are present in the previous 24 hours:
- Elevated temperature of 100.0 degrees or greater. The child shall remain fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications before returning to school.
- Quick onset of cold, sore throat, or persistent cough. Persistent cough interrupts the child’s ability to concentrate and is disruptive to the classroom learning environment.
- Vomiting, nausea, or severe abdominal pain.
- Repeated diarrhea the day or night before school
- Pus-like discharge from the nose or eyes; these are contagious conditions.
- Red or inflamed eyes or discharge from the eyes (conjunctivitis).
- Suspected scabies, impetigo, acute skin rashes or skin lesion or draining wound not contained with use of a band aid.
- Lethargic behavior.
The school may request a doctor’s note for absences of illness that are more than 3 consecutive days.
In the event that your child becomes ill while at school, we respectfully ask that you or your designee pick your child up as soon as possible and within one hour of being notified.
Our health office stocks common over-the-counter (OTC) medications, they will be administered if we have parental consent, and the nurse has determined necessity of the medication. During enrollment consent for these medications was asked. If you filled out these items during the yearly enrollment process you do not need to fill out a paper copy. If there are any changes to your consent please contact the health office, or fill out our medication consent form.
We stock the following over-the-counter medications:
- Acetaminophen/Tylenol
- Benadryl
- Cough Drops
- Ibuprofen/Motrin
- Hydrocortisone cream
- Neosporin
- Saline Eye Drops
- Tums
If you wish for your child to receive any other OTC medications please bring them into the health office in the original packaging. (OTC medication donations are always appreciated!) Prescription medications will be administered according to the physicians order and must be in the original prescription bottle. Prescription medications must be brought in by the parent.