School Health Policy  (*Excerpt from the Parent & Student Handbook.  The full health policy can be viewed here.)

(*Subject to change in accordance with current health guidelines and best practices.)

Health and Wellness 

Sick policy

Our students’ health is important to us. We work to ensure preventative measures are in place as is warranted and feasible. 

A child who has been ill due to a communicable disease (ex: strep throat, conjunctivitis) must provide written permission from a doctor or health officer upon returning to school.

If a child is suspected of having a communicable disease, parents will be called to pick up the child from school and seek a physician’s diagnosis prior to returning the child to class. This procedure is for the safety and well-being of all our students. PLEASE do not send children to school who feel ill or who have had a fever within 24 hours.

Furthermore, if your child has been diagnosed with ANY communicable infections, please notify the administration or school nurse.

● A child with a fever of 100 degrees or above must stay home. If a child develops a fever of 100 degrees or above during the day, she/he will be sent home.

● A child who has vomited within the last 24 hours must stay at home. A child who becomes sick and vomits during the day will be sent home.

● A child may return to school after they have been free from fever for 24 hours without the use of Tylenol or Motrin or any other antipyretics.

● A child with uncontrollable diarrhea, (3-4 stools per hour) needs to stay at home until symptoms free for 24 hours.

● A child diagnosed with Strep Throat must have been treated with antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.

● A child diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye) must have medication for 24 hours before returning to school. Children with viral conjunctivitis must have a doctor’s release before returning to school.

● In order for a child diagnosed with chickenpox to return to school, the lesions must be crusted over, fading and or disappearing 24 hours prior to return to school. The child must be free of fever for at least 24 hours without the use of medication.

● A child diagnosed with ringworm must be treated for 24 hours before returning to school and the affected area kept covered until healed.

● A child with impetigo must be free of weeping lesions. The lesions must be covered and medically treated for 24 hours before returning to school.

● A child with head lice must have been treated with a medicated shampoo and be at home for at least one day after their first treatment.

● A child must feel well enough to participate in school. A sick child will remain in the Health Room until he or she is picked up by a parent or guardian when he or she has a condition that may be considered contagious and easily passed from child to child. Final decisions are at the discretion of the nurse.

Medication

All medications MUST be administered through the clinic. The proper paperwork must be completed, and the clinic is responsible for scheduling and administering all medications. We do not supply any non-prescription medications. If your child needs to take any medication during school hours, please fill out the appropriate authorization form, have it signed by the prescribing physician (if a prescription medication), and return it to the nurse to be placed in your child’s health folder. All prescription containers must be current and match the authorized prescription.

Student Accidents

Any student injured at school will be sent to the nurse. The parents will be contacted by the teacher or staff member in charge. All student accidents will be reported to the Principal and a Student Accident Report completed.

If a child is seriously injured during the day and requires immediate medical attention, he or she will be transported to an emergency room if parents cannot be contacted. Judgment in such cases is at the discretion of school authorities, and parents will assume financial responsibility. Please keep medical information updated and phone numbers on file in the office and in the clinic.

Immunizations

Students’ immunizations should be kept up to date based on Georgia law. Students not in compliance may not be allowed to start school. 

Immunization and Health Screening Requirements 

Prior to enrollment at ICSAtlanta, Georgia law requires that each student present the Georgia Department of Human Resources Form 3231 Certificate of Immunization showing that the child has adequate protection against varicella (chicken pox), Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, diphtheria-pertussis (whooping-cough), tetanus (lockjaw), polio, measles, rubella (German measles) and mumps. 

Further guidelines:  

● The Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231) must be signed by a physician licensed under the laws of Georgia OR by a qualified employee of a county health department. Parent & Student Handbook page 29.  

● A child who cannot be immunized because of a medical disability can be given a special certificate by a licensed physician or a county health department. If a child is not immunized for religious reasons, an exemption waiver must be notarized.  

● Additional Immunization Requirements for students entering sixth grade: Students entering the sixth grade must have a certificate showing proof of two measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations administered since the first birthday. 

Hearing, Vision, and Dental Screening

Prior to enrollment at ICSAtlanta, Georgia law requires that each student present the Georgia Department of Human Resources Form 3300, Certificate of Ear, Eye and Dental Examinations. Form 3300 must be dated within 12 months of the first day of school. 

*Students transferring to ICSAtlanta from another state or country must obtain a certificate from a Georgia licensed physician or the Georgia Department of Public Health (or any of their county offices). A parent must present a written, dated immunization record, signed by a licensed physician or an authorized representative of a health agency of another state or country, that adequate immunizations have been received by the student. The Georgia Department of Public Health (or any of their county offices) will place the record on file and issue a Certificate of Immunization. The student can then be admitted to school. 

Allergies

Allergic reactions can span a wide range of severity of symptoms. The most severe and potentially life-threatening reaction is anaphylaxis. ICSAtlanta cannot guarantee to provide an allergen‐free environment for all students with life-threatening allergies or prevent any harm to students in emergencies. The goal is to minimize the risk of exposure to food allergens that pose a threat to those students, educate the community, and maintain and regularly update a system-wide protocol for responding to their needs. A system-wide effort requires the cooperation of all groups of people within the system.

The goal of the ICSAtlanta regarding Life Threatening Allergies is to engage in a system-wide effort to:

● Prevent any occurrence of life threatening allergic reactions

● Prepare for any allergic reactions

● Respond appropriately to any allergy emergencies that arise

The school nurse/administration, in conjunction with the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) and the primary care provider/allergist will prepare an Allergy Action Plan/Individual Health Care Plan for any student with a life-threatening allergy.

The plans will be reviewed by the school nurse/admin, the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) and primary care provider and/or the student’s allergist, and signed off by the child’s physician to indicating that he/she deems it to be adequate. Multiple copies of the Allergy Action Plan/Individual Health Care Plan will be kept at the school for quick access in the clinic, main office, the student’s homeroom, and in the homeroom teacher’s emergency binder/backpack.

EpiPens will be available in the nurse’s office and those prescribed for individual students will be kept in that child’s homeroom emergency backpack or, with permission, carried by the child at all times. Staff will be trained to identify and respond to reactions from life threatening allergies, including the use of EpiPens. Any staff involved with students who have life threatening allergies will be informed by the parents and provided information from the Allergy Action Plan of each of these students. School staff will take steps to ensure that these classrooms and instructional areas are as allergen free as possible.  During lunch, ICSAtlanta will encourage “NO FOOD TRADING” and “NO UTENSIL SHARING” to minimize accidental exposure to allergens.

It is requested that each parent of a student with a life-threatening allergy inform the school nurse/administration of the child’s allergies prior to the opening of school (or as soon as possible after a diagnosis). Parents must arrange to meet with the school nurse/administration to develop an Allergy Action Plan for the student and provide medical information from the child’s treating physician as needed to write the plans.

In addition, parents should do the following:

● Provide the school nurse /administration with enough up‐to‐date emergency medications (including EpiPens) so they can be placed in all required locations for the current school year

● Complete and submit all required medication forms

● Provide a Medic ALERT ID for their child

● Notify nurse/administration of any upcoming field trip as soon as possible and provide an

EpiPen to be taken on field trips

● Encourage their child to wash hands before and after handling food

● Teach their child to recognize the first symptoms of an allergic/anaphylactic reaction and to

communicate clearly as soon as she/he feels a reaction is starting

● Encourage their child NOT to share snacks, lunches, or drinks

● Encourage their child to take as much responsibility as possible for his/her own safety

● Help their child understand the seriousness of allergies and the potential consequences of

   children with allergies by being exposed to allergens.

Healthy Snack Policy

Students will be allowed to eat a daily snack during a time designated by the teacher. Students should bring healthy, non-sugary snacks with them to school daily to eat during times designated by the teacher.

Please do not send in sodas or candy for your child to consume. Children are encouraged to bring a bottle of water in the classroom. Please see your student’s teacher for more specific guide lines or restrictions of any sort due to allergies in your child’s class (e.g. peanuts, tree nuts, etc.). The school will not provide snacks to the students.

Healthy Snack Policy 

Students in grades K-5 are allowed to eat a daily snack during a time designated by the teacher. Middle Grades students may be allowed to eat a snack, at the discretion of the teacher. Students should bring healthy, non-sugary snacks with them to school daily to eat during times designated by the teacher. Please do not allow your child to bring sodas or candy. Children are encouraged to bring a reusable bottle of water in the classroom. Please see your student’s teacher for more specific guidelines or restrictions of any sort due to allergies in your child’s class (e.g. peanuts, tree nuts, etc.). The school will not provide snacks to the students. 

Lunch 

Students will bring their own lunch from home. 

Please note that students are not be allowed to use a microwave to heat up lunch items, so please ensure that all lunch items are ready to eat. 

Food Allergens 

Due to students with severe nut allergies, several ICSAtlanta classrooms are peanut and/or tree-nut free. At the beginning of the school year, the teacher will notify parents in those classes and a sign will be posted outside the classroom. Please be aware of items that may contain these allergens if your student is in one of these classes. If your child has a food allergen, please communicate with the school nurse. 

Soda-Free School 

ICSAtlanta does not allow students to bring or consume sugary or artificially-sweetened sodas during the school day. Sodas will not be sold or provided to students during ICSAtlanta-sponsored events. 

Celebrations 

Birthdays 

In order to stay consistent with ICSAtlanta’s healthy snack policy, parents and students may not bring candy, cakes, cupcakes, or other food to classrooms for birthday parties. Parents may elect to send “goodie bags” that include pencils, stickers, erasers, and other such tokens in lieu of food for their child’s classmates. 

Invitations to birthday parties (or other parties) may not be distributed at ICSAtlanta unless all students in a class are invited to the party. In order to avoid embarrassment for students not invited to parties, please either distribute birthday party invitations outside of school or invite the entire class. Teachers cannot provide a list of email addresses or phone numbers to parents. The ICSAtlanta PTO maintains a student directory for PTO members. Please email pto@icsatlanta.org for more information. 

Classroom Parties 

There are two celebrations/parties each year where parents will be permitted to bring in food for their child’s class. One is held the week before the winter holidays and the other is held the last week of school before the summer break. Classroom teachers and/or room parents organize the food lists for these parties. All food must be store-bought and include ingredient lists to help prevent exposure to allergens. 

Classroom Pets and Plants 

Classroom pets and non-toxic plants are great teaching tools and are allowed at ICSAtlanta; however, the teacher decides if he or she wants to have a pet and/ or plant and will ask parents to fill out a permission slip before he/she will let your child handle an animal. Please let your teacher know if your child has an allergy to a specific pet.