Amanda Michael, BSN RN

District Nurse

amanda.michael@stbobcats.net

361-287-3426 x 2016

JH/HS Office Hours: 7:30a-4:00p

Lunch: 11:40a-12:14p

PAULINE LOPEZ

Elementary Campus Nurse Aide

pauline.lopez@stbobcats.net

361-287-3426 x 4016

Elementary Office Hours: 7:30a-4:00p

Lunch: 1:00p-1:30p

*Notice to Parents: Each campus does not have a full-time nurse. 

Required Immunizations for Texas Public School Students

Texas school and child-care facility immunization requirements are determined by the state legislature and set by the Texas Department of State Health Services, in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency.

Maintaining adequate immunization rates in schools is critical to preventing disease outbreaks and ensuring the health of Texas children. For more information regarding immunizations for grades PK-12^th visit their website at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/immunize/school/default.shtm

Exclusion from School for due to Illness

To decrease the spread of communicable illnesses, students with certain symptoms or diagnosed diseases are not allowed to come to school while they are considered contagious.  Please contact the S-TISD nurse if you are not sure whether or not your child should return to school.  S-TISD  School Health Services utilizes recommendations from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Texas Administrative Code and the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to determine these guidelines. For more information please visit the DSHS website at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/IDCU/health/schools_childcare/School-Health.aspx?terms=communicable+disease

Fever:

Students with a temperature of 100º F or greater will not be allowed to attend school.  Students should stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without the use of a fever suppressing medication (ie Tylenol, Motrin, Aleve, Advil, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen).

Nausea/Vomiting:

Students who vomit 2 or more times in 24 hours should not attend school until free of vomiting for 24 hours without vomiting suppressing medication (ie Dramamine,Pepto-Bismol) .  However, there are many reasons a child may vomit.  All students who vomit will be evaluated by the school health professional.  The judgment of the school health professional will be utilized to determine if the cause may be infectious and the need to send home and/or allow readmission. 

Diarrhea: 

Students with frequent loose stools (three or more episodes in 24 hours) must not attend school until diarrhea free for 24 hours without diarrhea suppressing medication (ie Imodium,Pepto-Bismol) .  The judgment of the school health professional will be utilized to determine if the cause may be infectious and the need to send home and/or allow readmission.

Pinkeye (conjunctivitis):

If conjunctivitis is suspected, the student will be sent home until a doctor provides a note clearing the student to return to school, the student has been taking antibiotics for 24 hours, and/or until the student is symptom free. *When antibiotics are prescribed, your child must complete a full 24 hours of doses before returning to school. They must also be fever-free (without fever reducing medications) and well enough to participate in the entire school day program.

COVID-19:

Students who are symptomatic, exclude until at least 5 days have passed since symptom onset, and are fever free without fever reducing medications , and other symptoms have improved. Students who test positive for COVID19 but do not have any symptoms must stay home until at least 5 days after the day they were tested.

Flu:

Students who are diagnosed by a doctor with Influenza (Flu) are exclude until physician releases and/or exclude until fever free without fever reducing medications. 

Strep Throat/ Scarlet Fever: 

 Students must have completed antibiotic treatment for 24 hours and be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications. 

In addition, S-TISD will follow the exclusion criterion for any conditions listed in the most recent version of the Communicable Disease Chart and Notes for Schools and Child-Care Centers, Texas DSHS. 

***Exclusion criteria subject to change in accordance with most recent Department of State Health Services Guidelines for Schools and Texas Education Agency Policies***

Annual Health Screenings

Vision and Hearing

These screenings are mandated by Texas law in grades PK, KG, 01, 03, 05, 07, and students in other grades who are new to S-TISD. Parents of students who fail vision screening will receive a referral letter from the school nurse recommending a more comprehensive exam by an eye doctor. Parents of students who fail hearing screening will receive a letter from the school nurse for a more comprehensive exam by a physician. Parents who do not want their child to participate in state mandated screening must provide a notarized letter by September 1^st of the current school year stating they would like to opt out and provide results of a current vision and hearing screen from an authorized provider within 30 days. 

Spinal

This screening is mandated by Texas law as follows: 

• Girls will be screened two times, once at age 10 (or fall semester of grade 5) and again at age 12 (or fall semester of grade 7).
• Boys will be screened one time at age 13 or 14 (or fall semester of grade 8).

Spinal screening is designed to detect abnormalities that may be indicative of conditions such as scoliosis, kyphosis, or lordosis. This is done in a private environment by the school nurse. Parents of students who have any positive findings will receive a letter from the school nurse with recommendations. Parents who do not want their child to participate in state mandated screening must provide a notarized letter by September 1^st of the current school year stating they would like to opt out and provide results of a current spinal screen from an authorized provider within 30 days. 

Acanthosis Nigricans

This screening is mandated by Texas law in grades 01, 03, 05, and 07 and is usually done at the same time as vision and hearing screening. Acanthosis Nigricans (AN) is a skin discoloration that may indicate high levels of insulin in the blood which results from insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can create a potential risk for the development of Type 2 Diabetes. The skin on the nape of the neck will be visually examined. If the AN marker is noted, then the student will have blood pressure, height, and weight measured. Parents will be notified of these specific findings.

If you have any questions about any of these screenings or your child’s results, please contact the school nurse.