Health Services

Report your child's absence each day your child is ill by calling the attendance line at the school. Please report the reason for the absence. If your child is ill, report the symptoms and/or any diagnosed communicable condition.

Please contact the school Health Office if your child has any injury or illness that will require modifications in his/her school day, prior to returning to school.

Central Community Clinic is a free, walk-in clinic for children from birth through high school who live or go to school to public or private schools in St. Louis Park or Hopkins school districts. Central Clinic’s mission is to reduce barriers to health care for the children and youth of our community.

Learn more and access their services

Our nurses and school staff work closely with families to meet the health needs of your child. Contact your student's School Nurse to discuss the specific needs of your child to ensure that proper care and treatment will be provided in case of an emergency. This health information will be shared with appropriate school personnel as needed to ensure the health and safety of your student.

Please use the links below for more information and to download forms.

Asthma

• Asthma Parent Questionnaire: English
• Asthma Action Plan: English
• Asthma Parent Questionnaire: Spanish
• Asthma Action Plan: Spanish
• Asthma Parent Questionnaire: Somali

Diabetes

• Diabetes Medical Management Plan

Life-Threatening Allergies

• Food Allergy Action Plan in English
• Food Allergy Action Plan in Spanish
• Allergy Action Plan 

Seizure Disorder

• Seizure Parent Questionnaire
• Seizure Healthcare Plan 

Click here for a handwashing fact sheet. 

Asthma

• Asthma Parent Questionnaire: English
• Asthma Action Plan: English
• Asthma Parent Questionnaire: Spanish
• Asthma Action Plan: Spanish
• Asthma Parent Questionnaire: Somali

Diabetes

• Diabetes Medical Management Plan

Immunizations

• Immunization Record Forms: English | Spanish | Somali

Life-Threatening Allergies

• Food Allergy Action Plan in English
• Food Allergy Action Plan in Spanish
• Allergy Action Plan 

Medication 

• Medication Authorization Form 
• Medication Authorization Form in Spanish

Seizure Disorder

• Seizure Parent Questionnaire
• Seizure Healthcare Plan 

Head lice are tiny insects that make their home in human hair. Anyone can get lice and it is fairly common in school-age children. They are not a sign of poor hygiene and lice are not known to spread infectious disease. 

Most commonly, head lice are spread by direct head-to-head contact with someone who has head lice. Lice crawl; they do not jump or fly. They may also be spread by sharing personal items such as combs, brushes, other hair-care items, towels, pillows, hats, and other head coverings. Dogs, cats, and other pets do not spread head lice. 

Because lice is common in childhood, it is important to check your children’s hair for head lice on a regular basis. 

In general, our school practice includes the following:

• When a child is identified with an active head lice infestation at school parents will be notified. Your child can remain at school and should be treated before returning to school. 
• Your child’s health information will be kept private.
• Treatment should begin at home, as soon as possible once you are aware that your child has lice. 
• Check everyone at home if one person in the home has head lice. Health Office staff can help by checking siblings at school upon request.
• Mass lice screenings at school are not performed. 
• Please let the health office know if your child has lice.

Resources

Minnesota Department of Health Lice Information:

• Head Lice Fact Sheet (PDF)
  • Somali (PDF)
  • Spanish (PDF)
• No-Panic Guide to Head Lice Treatment | Johns Hopkins Medicine
• How to Comb for Nits
• Head Lice Removal Pamphlet (English)
• Head Lice Removal Pamphlet (Spanish)

Contact your child’s healthcare provider if home treatments are not effective. If you do not have a healthcare provider, contact the school health office for resources. Local pharmacies carry over-the-counter lice removal kits. Approximate prices range from $10-$35. To find professional organizations, search google for “Lice Removal Near Me.” These services can be quite expensive. Ask if they have a sliding scale fee based on income.

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St. Louis Park Public Schools follow the guidelines developed by the Hennepin County Public Health Department when deciding if a student should be sent home or kept home from school. 



View the general exclusions

Situations when your child should stay home:

• Fever of 100 degrees or more. The student should stay home for 24 hours after their temperature returns to normal without the use of fever reducing medication.

• Vomiting/diarrhea:  more than twice in the preceding 24 hours. Stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.

• Any uncontrolled cough, respiratory virus symptoms that are worsening or not improving and not better explained by another cause such as seasonal allergies.

• Rash with a fever and/or unknown cause. Check with your family physician/clinic before your student returns to school.

• If feeling ill/unwell and the student is unable to fully participate in school activities.

If your child is staying home due to illness please call the school attendance line daily to report the illness. 

What happens when your child becomes ill at school:

If your child/adolescent becomes ill at school and needs to go home, health service staff will attempt to contact a parent/guardian. The emergency contact on file will be contacted if we feel your child needs to go home and we are unable to reach a parent/guardian. Your child will NOT be allowed to leave school without contacting an adult. Please update the school with any changes in these contacts.

COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance for COVID-19 to align with other respiratory illnesses. The guidance for common respiratory illnesses (flu, COVID, RSV) is to stay home for 24 hours until both:

1. Your symptoms are getting better, and
2. You have not had a fever without taking fever-reducing medication. 

 People are encouraged to take added precautions for 5 days when returning, such as choosing to wear a mask. 

CDC Respiratory Virus Guidelines

Specific Disease Exclusion

St. Louis Park Public Schools follow the infectious disease guidelines as outlined in the Hennepin County Infectious diseases in childcare settings and schools manual.

Fact sheets provide prevention and control information on common infectious diseases seen in a school or childcare setting such as chickenpox, impetigo, pink eye, and head lice and strep throat.

Please notify the school if your child has a communicable condition.

Influenza

• Parent Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Parent Fact Sheet – Hmong (PDF)
• Parent Fact Sheet – Somali (PDF)
• Parent Fact Sheet – Spanish (PDF)

Strep Throat

• Parent Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Parent Fact Sheet – Hmong (PDF)
• Parent Fact Sheet – Somali (PDF)
• Parent Fact Sheet – Spanish (PDF)

Please notify the school if your child has a communicable condition.

Minnesota Statutes Section 121A.15 requires children enrolled in a Minnesota school to be immunized against certain diseases, or file a legal medical or conscientious exemption. This form is designed to provide the school with information required by the law.

A copy of the student's current immunization record must be on file, at school.

Check now with your family doctor or clinic to see if your child(ren) has all the immunizations required for their age. If the student receives an immunization during the summer months send by mail, fax, or drop off at the school the date (day, month and year) of the shot received. If you have questions or do not have insurance contact the nurse at your child's school for assistance.

The St. Louis Park School District has joined the growing number of school districts throughout the state of Minnesota who strive for immunization compliance. This allows schools and local clinics working together to see that all students in our district are properly immunized before starting school in the fall. This helps provide barrier free access to immunizations for families without insurance and /or a family clinic. More information can be found at here. Parents may get a legal exemption for medical reasons or conscientiously held beliefs.

The links below provide detailed information on required immunizations and a form for you to complete and return to your health office.

• Immunization & Legal Exemption Forms: English | Spanish | Somali

Students will not be able to attend school in the fall if they are not up-to-date with vaccines & do not have a legal exemption on file. 

Students are taught skills needed to promote safety and prevent unintentional injuries. However, injuries requiring first aid can happen in classrooms, on playgrounds, or on athletic fields. Health Services will assess and administer first aid when necessary.

No student is allowed to leave the building for reason of injury or illness without first reporting to the health office.

If necessary the health office will:

• Contact the parent or guardian or designated emergency contact.
• Call 911 if a student requires more than first aid. If transported, the student’s family will be financially responsible for the care given.
• Please update your school office if there are any changes to your emergency contact information.

Excuses From Participation

Occasionally, a student may need to be excused from participation in a class due to an injury or medical reason.

• A parent/guardian may excuse a student from participation in an activity for one day only.
• If an injury/medical reason requires a student to be excused from participating in physical activity for more than one day (physical education class, recess, etc..), a physician's note is required. 

Medication Authorization Form     Student Medication School Board Policy #516

At times, it may be necessary for a student to take medication during the school day. If school personnel must administer a medication, the following conditions must be met:

1. Written instructions and authorization from a physician for prescription drugs including dosage and frequency.
2. Written authorization by parent for both prescription and non-prescription medications.
3. All medications, prescription and non-prescription, must be in their original containers. Prescription medication containers should include the physician's name and pharmacy.
4. Medication that is not FDA approved (i.e. homeopathic, vitamins, supplements) will not be administered in school.
5. Students are only allowed to take medication in school when health office staff administers it.
6. Medications that are to be taken 3 times a day should be taken before school, after school, and before bed.
7. Aspirin (including Excedrin) will not be administered without authorization from a physician.
Exceptions include:
• Secondary students with asthma are allowed to carry inhalers. Elementary students should keep their inhalers in the health office unless specific written permission to carry the inhaler is received from the physician and the parent/guardian. The student also needs to demonstrate competency in administering.
• Secondary students may possess and use non-prescription pain relief after a written authorization from the parent/guardian is received in the health office.
Compliance with the conditions listed above must be renewed each year. The privilege can be revoked if student is abusing the privilege

Storage
Medication to be administered at school is to be kept in the Health Office. Exceptions are students who may carry an asthma inhaler or an epipen, if they have a written doctor’s order and written parental permission to do so, and have demonstrated to the school nurse competency in administration.

Half Tablets
Parents are responsible for breaking tablets in half. When there is a physician order to give one-half of a tablet, please talk with your pharmacist.

Medication Authorization
Parents/guardians asking school staff to give medications to their child must complete the Medication Authorization Form every school year.

Medication Authorization Self Administration for Asthma
For a student to self-administer asthma medication. This form must be completed by the prescribing health professional, along with the Medication Agreement by the student and the parent/guardian.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact your Health Office.

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