Frequently Asked Questions

1. What can I do to help make sure my child has a great school day?

Provide your child with a reusable water bottle, healthy and nutritious snacks and lunch, change of clothes (reasons why extra clothes may be needed), and ensure they get a good night’s sleep. Please share if there is an event at home or in the family that may impact your child at school such as military deployment, birth, or death of a family member or a beloved pet.

2. May I send my child to school if they are feeling ill?

When a child is ill, no active learning can take place. Review our Guidelines for the Exclusion of Children from School when determining if your child is well enough to attend. We urge you to assess your child for illness and injury and use common sense for keeping a child home from school. Sending an ill child to school also creates the opportunity for illnesses to spread rapidly around our classrooms. Your child should feel that they can get through the planned school day without exclusion from outdoor recess or gym. 

If your child needs to be absent from school, please fill out their school absence form.

3. Can the nurse give over-the-counter (OTC) medications?

Nurses can provide acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin) under the direction of the school physician and with permission from the parent/guardian. All medications including other over-the-counter medications must have a written order from a licensed practitioner and written parent permission. To give consent to your child, please log into your SNAP Parent/Guardian Portal account. At the elementary and middle school levels, please fill out the LPS Parent/Guardian Permission Form For Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen. See the Lexington Public Schools Medication Policy for more information. 

4. What do I do when my child needs to avoid or limit gym or recess?

An order from a healthcare provider is needed for your child to avoid or limit gym or recess. A doctor's order on any kind of form (such as emergency room instructions or a note after a doctor's appointment) is sufficient. Review our Protocol for Use of an Assistive Device at School for more information.

Please call your school nurse to discuss your child's particular situation before returning to school, so accommodations can be put in place if they may have mobility issues.

5. What is done at school to keep my child with a chronic medical condition such as life-threatening allergies, epilepsy/seizures, diabetes, and asthma?

Please visit the: Managing Chronic Medical Conditions in School page for more information.

6. What do I do if my child has been hospitalized or ill for a prolonged time?

Re-entry is a terminology used to signify the return of a student to the school environment after a medical hospitalization, a psychiatric evaluation or hospitalization, or a prolonged absence. A meeting takes place between some of the following: the parents/guardians, student, principal, school nurse, and guidance counselor. The school requests that parents/guardians provide a written statement/discharge plan from the student’s physician for the team’s consideration in planning and coordinating appropriate services and in assessing the health needs of the student.

7. My child wants to participate in an after-school sports program. How old can the physical date be for participation?

In order to participate in a sport or intramural program, all students must pass a physical examination within thirteen months of the start of each season and provide that documentation to the school nurse and/or athletic director. Students who meet this criteria at the start of the season will remain eligible for that season. Physical examinations must be performed by a duly registered Physician, Physician’s Assistant, or Nurse Practitioner. This is a state regulation and no exceptions are made. All physicals are kept on file in the student’s School Health Record in the nurse's office. If your child does not have health insurance or if you're unable to obtain a physical due to financial hardship, please contact your school nurse for further assistance. 

8. How can I make sure that my child is protected with sunscreen and/or insect repellent?

Parents/guardians are responsible for applying sunscreen and/or insect repellent on elementary school children. Staff are not permitted to apply sunscreen and/or insect repellent on children. In middle school and high school, students manage their own sunscreen/insect repellent. Exceptions are made for students with a medical diagnosis that requires application before outdoor activity. A physician's order with parent permission must be on file for the school nurse to apply the product.

9. Is there someone I can contact to discuss my child's special health care needs?

Parents are encouraged to call or email their child's school nurse. If your child hasn't been assigned to a specific school yet, you may contact the Director of School Health Services at krufo@lexingtonma.org.