Health Services Information

The mission of Health Services is to strengthen and facilitate the educational process by improving and protecting the health status of children and by identifying and assisting in the removal or modification of health-related barriers to learning. Health Services; therefore, contributes directly to PUSD’s overall mission of educating students to become well-informed, productive and socially responsible citizens.

Health Offices

A Health Clerk who has been trained in basic CPR and First Aid provides care to the students who visit the School Health Office. Some of the care provided by the Health Clerk, under the supervision of the District Nurses , include basic first aid, medication administration, immunization enforcement, and communicable disease control.

Parents are encouraged to communicate with the School Health Clerk and District Nurses on any health related issues so we can better meet your child’s health needs in school to promote the best learning environment for your student.

To contact your student’s health clerk, please go to each school’s website. To contact the District Nurses, please contact Pupil Services at 925-426-4290.

Health Screening
To identify potential health barriers in order to maximize the student’s ability to learn, the district conducts the following screenings mandated by state of California: (Ed Code 49455, 49456, 49452.5)

• Vision: Grades K, 3, 6, and 9, and first year in the California public school system
• Color Vision: Grades K or 1
• Hearing: Grades K or 1, 2, 5, 8 and 10, and first year in the California public school system
• Scoliosis: Girls - Grade 7, Boys - Grade 8

In addition, students who are being assessed for initial and three year review for special education services, and students referred by a teacher or parent will also be tested for vision and hearing. Those who do not pass the initial screening will be retested. Parents will be notified and referred for further follow-up only when a problem is identified. Parents may submit a written request for exemption from any of the above health screenings.

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Athletic Clearances
he sport physical form has to be completed annually by a licensed health care provider.  Click here to download Sports Physical Release Form

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Confidential Medical Services
State law requires that parents be notified that pupils in grades 7 through 12 may be excused from school for the purpose of obtaining confidential medical services without the consent of the pupil's parent or guardian. The District follows state law, Education Code, and District Regulation 5101 and "When excusing a pupil for confidential medical services or verifying such appointments, District staff shall not ask the purpose of such appointments but may contact a medical office to confirm the time of an appointment."
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Food Allergy

Education, cooperation, and awareness are keys to keeping children with food allergies safe. At PUSD, parents, health care providers, school administrators, teachers, district nurses, health clerk liaison, health clerks and food service staff work together continuously to determine appropriate precautions, procedures, and to develop an individualized plan of action for managing each student’s food allergy in school.

Click here to download district policy Management of Life-Threatening Allergies--District Regulation 5536

The Food Allergy Action Plan form is available in English here or Spanish here; also available at all school sites and Pupil Services Department.

For additional information regarding food allergy please check The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network at http://www.foodallergy.org/

Health Check-Up
California law requires that all children have a physical examination within eighteen months before entering the first grade or within 90 days after entering first grade. Call your school Health Office for information regarding possible free CHDP exam. Parental waivers are available under certain conditions. (Health and Safety Code 324.2, 325.5)

Report of Health Examination for School Entry form is available at all school sites, Pupil Services Department, or go to website http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/formsandpubs/forms/Forms/ChildMedSvcForms/pm171a(bi).pdf   to download form.

For your convenience, here is a list of Alameda County Clinics and Community Health Centers .

Under the direction of the District Nurses, district health clerks provide a wealth of health service activities. These include: vision, hearing, and scoliosis screenings, emergency services, and consultation to pupils and staff; supervise and advise pupil's immunization records; administer medical care in mainstreamed settings; and consult with doctors and other health care professionals to meet the medical needs of pupils.
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Oral Health Assessment
California law, Education Code 49452.8, requires that children have a dental check-up by May 31 of their first year in public school, at kindergarten or first grade. Dental evaluations that have happened within the 12 months prior to school entry also meet this requirement. The law specifies that the assessment must be done by a licensed dentist or other licensed or registered dental health professional. Please click here to download the required form http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/documents/oralhlthassess.doc

English version

Spanish version

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Please do not send your child to school if he/she has any of the following symptoms:

1. Common cold: Keep home during period of productive cough and yellow or green nasal discharge
2. Fever (over 100 degrees) - in some children, a lower temperature represents a fever. Please keep your child home for 24 hours after a fever without the aid of Tylenol or Advil)
3. Eyes that are red, swollen, crusting or draining
4. Untreated, draining ears or earache
5. Diarrhea
6. Nausea or vomiting (if the pupil has vomited the night before or in the morning, please DO NOT send pupil to school.)
7. Severe sore throat
8. Skin rashes of unknown origin or contagious rash requires a clearance from a health care provider that student may return to school.

If a pupil is at school with any of the above, the parent/guardian will be called to pick up the pupil. Under certain circumstances, the parent may be asked to consult a physician and to provide a written note from a doctor indicating that the pupil may return to school.

Suggestions for staying healthy during flu season, can be found here.
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Head lice
Head lice are a common occurrence in schools. Pupils must be treated with insecticidal shampoo found in any drug store. Pupils found to have head lice may not return to school until all nits are removed from the hair. Pupils are required to have their hair checked and found free of nits by office staff prior to re-admittance to the classroom. For more information on head lice, please go to the Alameda County Vector Control Services website at http://www.acvcsd.org/head_lice/lice.htm
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Immunizations
The California Health and Safety Code, division 105, part 2, chapter 1, sections 120325-120380, title 17, division 1, chapter 4, sections 6000-6075, requires that every child entering a California school be immunized against polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and chickenpox/a health care provider-documented varicella disease or immunity.

I. Student’s immunization record must be presented to school staff by the parent or guardian and must include the month, date, and year each dose was received. It needs to be in the form of either the yellow immunization card or personal record signed or stamped by a health care provider or clinic.

II. If student is transferring from one public school within California to another public school in California, you have 30 days to provide the proof of immunization. After 30 days with no valid immunization, you will receive a "Notice of Exclusion from School Attendance."

III. If student is entering Kindergarten, transferring from a private school, transferring from out-of-state or out-of-country, you must present the immunization record before entry into a California school. All immunization must be up to date before student can start school.

IV. A student entering from out of the country will need a current TB (tuberculosis) skin test or chest x-ray stating the student is free from communicable TB. TB test and/or chest x-ray must be done within 6 months of the first day of school entry.

Entrance requirements flier.

Entrance requirements are:

EXEMPTIONS: The law allows (a) parents/guardians to elect exemptions to immunization requirements based on their personal beliefs, and (b) physicians of children to elect medical exemptions. The law does not allow parents/guardians to elect an exemption simply because of inconvenience (a record is lost or incomplete and it is too much trouble to go to a physician or clinic to correct the problem.) See the back of the blue California School Immunization Record (PM 286) for instructions and the affidavit to be signed by parents/guardians electing the personal beliefs exemption. For children with medical exemptions, the physician’s written statement should be stapled to the CSIR. Schools should maintain an up-to-date list of pupils with exemptions, so they can be notified quickly if an outbreak occurs.

If you have any further questions, please consult your child’s health care provider or California Department of Public Health Website: http://www.dhs.ca.gov/dcdc/izgroup/pdf/IMM231-0503.pdf

Tuberculosis Screening:
TB test is required for students entering the district from out of the county.

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Medication Administration
Parents of students who require the administration of medication during the school day must have a PRESCRIPTION OR OVER THE COUNTER ADMINISTRATION CONSENT FORM on file in the school office. Students are only permitted to carry their medications that are for life threatening conditions, such as severe allergic reaction needing EpiPen, asthma inhalers, and insulin/glucagon for diabetes.

This form must be completely filled out annually and signed by the parent/guardian and the child’s health care provider before the child can be assisted with the administration of medication by the district personnel at the school site. The authorized health care provider must be licensed in California.

It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to provide the school site with all necessary information and special instructions in writing related to the administration of medication to their child. The parent/guardian must immediately notify the school in writing of any changes in the child’s regimen or authorizing health care provider. It is also the child’s responsibility to follow the health care provider’s recommendations and instructions related to taking the medication (i.e., the child is responsible for going to the office at the prescribed times). Medication must be in its original container and brought to school by the parent/guardian, or an adult designee. All controlled medication will be counted and recorded on a medication log when delivered to school.

All medication must be picked up by a parent/guardian or adult designee at the end of the school year. NO medication will be given to a student to take home. Medication left in the school office at the end of the school year will be discarded.

Please refer to district policy 5532 for further questions or Program Advisory On Medication Administration by California Department of Education at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/medadvisory.asp

Click here for PRESCRIPTION OR OVER THE COUNTER ADMINISTRATION CONSENT FORM, click here for CONTRACT TO CARRY MEDICATION FORM.

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Emergency Card

Your child’s school must have correct contact information on your child in an emergency. This includes any alternative emergency contact persons in case the school cannot reach the parents. Parents must fill out the cards completely, including all pertinent health information and physician and dentist phone numbers to call in an emergency. If there is a change of address or phone number for any person listed on the card during school year, please notify the school immediately (Ed Code 49408)

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