Nurse Brenda Thams

NOTES FROM NURSE BRENDA:

Handwashing:

Remember, the single most important thing you can do to prevent getting sick is to wash your hands often! Use soap and water to wash all surfaces of the hands and fingers for 15-20 seconds, and teach your children to do the same. Make it a practice to not touch your face or lick your fingers throughout the day, to prevent transferring those germs into your body.

Immunizations:

Iowa law requires that students receive all immunizations before they may attend school. Below is a brochure outlining these requirements. Students attending PK, TK and Kindergarten must have vaccines before they can start school. Students in grades 1-6 and transferring from another United States school have 60 days to comply with these requirements. 

Iowa Immunization Law Brochure

Medication:

All medications at school are given by the nurse or other staff trained to do so.  In order for us to do our jobs well and in accordance with the law, please fill out, sign and return the Medication Permission Form (link below) for any medication that needs to be given at school.

***Reminder:  Medications must be brought to school by a parent or adult.  They cannot be sent with a student. They must be in the original pharmacy container.

Medication Permission Form 

Illness:

Please remember to keep your student home from school if they have a fever (temp 100.0 or higher) or vomiting, and keep them home until these symptoms have been gone for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications).  This not only keeps illness from spreading in our school and community but allows them to rest and time for their body to heal.

IDPH Communicable Disease Chart 

Head Lice:

Head lice are a nuisance, not a health hazard. They can exist wherever children do and often go back to school with our students. You usually cannot see if someone has head lice without parting the hair and looking all over the scalp, so it can be impossible to know if the person sitting next to you might have them! To prevent the spread of lice at school, all of our students have their own locker, and we teach them not to share items. At home, there are several things you and your family members can do to lessen your risk. First, make it a point to NEVER share hats, hair articles, headphones, or anything that goes on the head. Lice do not jump, but they can hitch a ride on these articles! Second, check the head of everyone in your home for 15 minutes every week, by combing through and parting the hair; lice are very small, and like the warmth of the scalp. The eggs (nits) are glued to the shaft of hair; they do not “flick” off, but must be pulled off with a fingernail.  Besides prevention, finding them early is key!

Health Requirements:

Ideally, every student should see their doctor, dentist, and eye doctor every year. I recommend that you call your providers in the spring, and make those appointments for early summer. The summer flies by, and you won't want to be trying to complete these visits while we're buying school supplies and enjoying the last days of break! 

Requirements for PK (must be submitted before the first day of school):

1) Immunizations that are up-to-date for "licensed child care". Please see the above "Iowa Immunization Law Brochure."

2) A completed physical exam form (below), completed within 1 year of the first day of school. A parent is to fill out pages 1-2; your doctor needs to complete page 3.

Physical Exam Form

Requirements for TK and K:

1) Immunizations that are up-to-date for "elementary school." Please see the above "Iowa Immunization Law Brochure."

2) A vision screening, completed by your doctor or eye doctor. The form is below.

3) A dental screening, completed by your dentist or doctor. The form is below.

Vision Form

Dental Form

Requirements for 3rd grade:

1) A vision screening, completed by your doctor or eye doctor. The form is above.