To send email click here stacey.brown@ops.org

Please see Health Services for Physical, Vision, Dental, and Immunization forms.

Illness Guidelines

We have begun to see an increased number of ill children at school. In order to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases, we'd like to remind you of the following guidelines:

Keep your child home if any one of the following occurs:

• temperature of 100 degrees or higher within the last 24 hours without antifever medication
• vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• any symptoms of acute illness such as persistent cough or runny nose and body aches
• students with strep throat need to be treated with antibiotics for 24 hours before returning

Your child should look and behave like him/herself for 24-48 hours before returning to school. Why???

• To protect your child from exposure to other illness before he/she is able to build resistance.
• To protect the other students and staff from communicable disease that your child may transmit.

Remember- hand washing is the most effective means of preventing the spread of communicable diseases! Remind your children to wash their hands frequently and cover their nose and mouths when coughing or sneezing.

Please call the health office with any questions or concerns you  have regarding your child's health needs.

Here are some links that may be helpful from Nebraska Department of Health

The Nebraska influenza surveillance system is a collaborative effort between DHHS and its many partners in the state including, local health departments, public health and clinical laboratories, vital statistics offices, healthcare providers, clinics and emergency departments. Indicators from Nebraska’s influenza surveillance systems (laboratory testing, sentinel provider visits, influenza hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and school absences due to illness) showed that flu and RSV activity continues to increase. Currently NE is at the "REGIONAL" influenza activity level. Hand washing is one of the most important things to do to prevent influenza.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm

Families fighting flu is a website dedicated to protecting children against the flu.

https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/resources/flu-fact-vs-fiction/

Preventing the Flu: Good Health Habits Can Help Stop Germs

The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year, but good health habits like covering your cough and washing your hands can help stop the spread of germs.

www.cdc.gov

Having a child starting Kindergarten is a milestone in his/her life. Health Services welcomes you and your child to this new and exciting experience.

Before a child can enter school, a copy of his/her Immunization record must be submitted. By law, the following immunizations are required:
3 doses of DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus with one dose after 4 years of age),
3 doses of Polio vaccine,
3 doses of Hepatitis B Vaccine,
2 doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella),
1 dose of Varicella vaccine (Chicken Pox) or parent report of the year of the disease.

If your child has not started the immunizations or completed them, please check with your physician or the Douglas County Health Department Immunization Clinic (444-6163). You are encouraged to do this as soon as possible so any immunizations required for enrollment can be completed before the first day of school.

Please have your child’s Dentist and Physician complete the dental and physical examinations cards and return them to the School Nurse. Because some Physicians limit the number of school physicals they will do at a given time, you are encouraged to make an appointment well in advance of the first day of school.

It is also important that the Health History form be completed and returned to the School Nurse. If your child has a special health need or concern, the School Nurse can be helpful in adjusting or modifying the education program to meet his/her health needs.

Should your child need medication during school, in accordance with the Omaha Public Schools Policy, the medication, including any over-the-counter (OTC) medications, will not be administered by school staff unless there is written permission from both the child’s Parent and Physician. The medications must be brought to school in a labeled container. The School Nurse can assist you with this procedure.

When asked to complete the Student Information Cards, be sure to provide your name, address, and phone number where you can be contacted if your child is ill or there is an emergency. Because there may be instances when you cannot be reached, it is very important that you also provided the names, addresses, and phone numbers of those individuals you have designated as emergency contacts.

The forms mentioned above may be obtained from the school or downloaded from the Health Forms listed on the right.

Please feel free to contact me whenever you have questions or concerns related to your child’s health of safety.