School Health Services
Mission Statement
The School Health Services department within Ivy Classical Academy strives to assess, protect, and promote the health of students, ensuring they can succeed academically in a safe, healthy, and supportive environment.
Key Focus Areas
Many students face chronic and life-long conditions—such as asthma, diabetes, anaphylaxis, seizures, obesity, and mental health or behavioral challenges—that can affect their ability to attend school and engage in learning. Our services focus on the daily management of these diagnosed conditions, in compliance with state and federal laws. Additionally, we aim to:
- Promote health education and wellness
- Prevent specific diseases, disorders, and injuries
- Assist students requiring health-related services
- Support students at risk for health issues
- Manage special health care needs
- Encourage positive health and safety behaviors
Program Services
Services Available in Schools:
- Health Screenings
- Monitoring for Communicable Diseases and Conditions
- Ensuring Immunization Compliance
- Provision of Routine and Specialized Health Services
- Medication Administration for students with chronic or emergency conditions
- Collaboration with community and public health agencies
Acute Illness Guidelines
When Should Students Stay Home?
Some acute illnesses are highly contagious and are a common reason for student absenteeism. If your child has any of the following symptoms, please keep them at home to avoid spreading illness and to ensure they recover fully.
- Diarrhea: Frequent loose or watery stools, abdominal cramps, fever, and general fatigue. Keep the student at home until there is no diarrhea for 24 hours.
- Vomiting: Nausea, vomiting, or cramping. Exclude until there is no vomiting for 24 hours, or medical documentation confirms the cause is non-infectious.
- Common Cold: Symptoms like sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, headaches, and body aches. Keep the student at home until symptoms subside, and practice proper hygiene and droplet precautions.
- Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis): Red, itchy, swollen eyes with discharge, light sensitivity, and/or pain. Exclude if there is white or yellow drainage or eye pain, and the student has not been evaluated by a physician.
- Strep Throat: Symptoms include fever, sore throat, swollen glands, and a “strawberry tongue.” Keep the student at home until 24 hours after starting appropriate antibiotic treatment and the fever has subsided.
- Fever: A fever of 100°F or higher, especially when accompanied by other symptoms. The student must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
- Undiagnosed Rash: Do not send your child to school until the rash is diagnosed, treated, and confirmed non-contagious.
Please see the ADPH Communicable Disease Chart below for more information.
Immunization Requirements
State of Alabama Immunization Law
A current Alabama Certificate of Immunization is required for all students entering Ivy Classical Academy. This certificate can be obtained from the child’s physician, clinic, or local county health department.
For students moving to Alabama, out-of-state vaccine records must be transferred to the Alabama Certificate of Immunization before school enrollment. This can be done by presenting the vaccine record at the local health department or through a physician in Alabama.
Alabama does not recognize philosophical, moral, or ethical exemptions for vaccination. Only medical exemptions (certified by a physician) or religious exemptions (obtained from the local health department) are accepted.
Required Immunizations for School:
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTaP)
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Polio
- Chickenpox
- Haemophilus Influenza Type B (Hib)
- Pneumococcal (PCV)
Medication Administration Guidelines
For students who require medication during school hours, the following procedures must be followed:
- Complete the School Medication Prescriber/Parent Authorization Form (PPA)
- Provide the medication in its original container.
- Parents or guardians must deliver all medications directly to the school nurse.
- Controlled Substances: Must be signed in and counted by a parent/guardian along with the school nurse.
- Self-Medication: Only allowed under specific conditions. Discuss this with the school nurse and complete a Self-Medication Authorization form if applicable.
Procedure for Administering Prescription Medications:
- A completed School Medication Prescriber / Parent Authorization Form (PPA) is required for all medications administered during school hours.
Attachments:
School Medication Prescriber / Parent Authorization Form : PPA
Diet Prescription form for Meals at School: Meal Accommodations
Required School Health Forms
Students requiring routine or emergency medications, medical procedures, or meal accommodations must have the appropriate forms completed and submitted to the school. We encourage parents/guardians to communicate any health concerns to their child’s school nurse. Please download and print the necessary forms below:
Health Legislation
Several state laws impact the health services provided in schools. Notable laws include:
- Sunscreen Act (2017-278) – Allows students to use sunscreen while at school without a doctor’s note.
- Backpack Act (2017-19) – Provides guidelines for the safe transport of medications in student backpacks.
- Influenza Act (2017-368) – Requires flu vaccination for certain groups of students.
- Meningococcal Law (2014-274, Jessica Elkins Act)– Requires vaccination against meningococcal disease for middle school students.
- Anaphylaxis Prepardness Program (2014-405) – Supports the management and emergency response to severe allergic reactions.
- Under the Anaphylaxis Act 2014-405, Alabama public schools are authorized to establish protocols for anaphylaxis preparedness. These protocols may include maintaining and administering pre-measured doses of auto-injectable epinephrine to manage life-threatening allergic reactions effectively.
- If your child has a life-threatening allergy, please contact the school nurse, Mrs. Hamilton at [email protected] to create a personalized health and emergency action plan.
- Concussion Law (2011-541) – Requires that students who sustain a concussion be cleared by a healthcare provider before returning to physical activity.
For more information on each law, click on the corresponding links to the ADPH resources.
