WINCHESTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS

WINSTED, CONNECTICUT

BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY REGARDING:

Students/Health Assessments and Immunizations

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NUMBER: 5141.3 SUPERSEDES/AMENDS: 12/18/1995

Amended: 2/10/2015 SEE ALSO:

Policy 5141.3

Students -Health Assessments and Immunizations

The Board of Education recognizes the importance of periodic health assessments according tostatehealthregulations.

Todeterminehealthstatusofstudents,facilitatetheremovalofdisabilitiestolearningandfindwhethersomespecialadaptationoftheschoolprogrammaybenecessary,theBoardofEducationrequiresthatstudents have healthassessments.

TheBoardofEducationadherestothosestatelawsandregulationsthatpertaintoschoolimmunizationsandhealthassessments.ItisthepolicyoftheBoardofEducationtoinsurethatallenrolledstudentsareadequately immunized against communicable diseases. The Board may deny continued attendanceinschooltoanystudentwhofailstoobtainthehealthassessmentsrequiredunderC.G.S. 10­206,asmaybeperiodicallyamended.

TheBoardofEducationshallannuallydesignatearepresentativetoreceivereportsofhealthassessmentsand immunizations from health care providers.

Parentswishingtheirchildrenexemptedorexcusedfromhealthassessmentsmustrequestsuchexemption to the School Nurse in writing. This request must be signed by theparent/guardian.

Itistheresponsibilityofthe Nurse toinsurethateachstudentenrolledhasbeenadequatelyimmunizedandhasfulfilledtherequiredhealthassessments.Theschoolnurseshallcheckanddocumentimmunizationsandhealthassessmentsonallstudentsenrollinginschoolandtoreportthestatustotheschool principal. The school nurse shall also contact parents or guardians to make them awareifimmunizationsand/orhealthassessmentsareinsufficientornotup­to­date.Theschoolnursewillmaintainingoodordertheimmunizationandhealthassessmentrecordsofeachstudentenrolled.

StudentsborninhighriskcountriesandenteringschoolinConnecticutforthefirsttime, as well as those who have visited a high risk country recently will be asked to meet the District requirements noted at the end of this policy.

Norecordofanystudent'smedicalassessmentmaybeopentothepublic.

ASTHMA

As required,theDistrictwillannuallyreporttotheDepartmentofPublicHealthandtothelocalHealthDirector the asthma data, pertaining to the total number of students per school and for thedistrict,obtainedthroughtherequiredasthmaassessments,includingstudentdemographics.Such requiredasthmadiagnosisshalloccuratthetimeofmandatedhealthassessmentatthetimeofenrollment,ineither grade six or seven, and in either grade nine or ten. Such asthma diagnosis shall bereported whether or not it is recorded on the health assessment form, at the aforementioned intervals. TheDistrict, as required, will also participate in annual school surveys conducted by the Department ofPublic Health pertaining to asthma.

TUBERCULOSIS

Winchester Public Schools Tuberculosis Screening Policy

For School-Aged Children

The Winchester Public School District shall comply with the recommendations from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Infectious Diseases Division, and the Connecticut Department of Education, regarding tuberculosis testing of students.

It is recommended that at each mandated health assessment, students are screened for their risk of exposure to tuberculosis. This is documented on form HAR-3 (revised 4/2011) by the students’ medical provider.

Students not already known to have a positive test should be tested if they have any of the following risk factors for tuberculosis infection;

  1. Born in a high risk * country and do not have a documented test performed in the United States.
  2. Have travelled to a high risk* country since their last mandatory health assessment.
  3. Have had extensive contact with people who have recently come to the United States since their last mandatory health assessment.
  4. Had contact with person(s) suspected to have tuberculosis.
  5. Have been living in a homeless shelter.
  6. Have HIV infection.
  7. Have been exposed to adults in high-risk categories.

Upon identification of any of the above risk factors a PPD (Mantoux Test) will be required prior to entry. PPD tests read as 10mm or greater will require follow-up per the primary care provider or the Torrington Area Health District. “It is recommended that all positive TST’s (Tuberculin Skin Test) and blood tests (IGRA), questioning about symptoms and a Chest x ray be performed to rule out active TB disease”. (State of CT DPH, 6/2011) If active disease is ruled out, it is recommended that the child’s healthcare provider initiate treatment with INH. A note should be sent to school noting when student completed treatment.

Students who have travelled to a high risk country and have stayed in that country one week or longer will require PPD testing 8-10 weeks following their return to the United States, not upon entry of school, unless the student presents with symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis. This result and any further treatment required shall be documented by the student’s primary care provider and noted on the CHR.

The list of High Risk Countries shall be determined by reference to the then current data shown at

For purposes of determining tuberculosis risk, a history of BCGvaccination should be considered irrelevant.

(cf.5111­Admission)

(cf.5141.31­PhysicalExaminationsforSchoolPrograms)(cf.5125­StudentRecords)

(cf.5135.11­Health/MedicalRecords­HIPAA)(cf.5141­StudentHealthServices)

Legal Reference: Connecticut GeneralStatutes

10­204a Requiredimmunizations10­204c Immunity fromliability

10­205Appointmentofschoolmedicaladviser10­206 Healthassessments

10­207 Duties of medicaladvisors10­206aFreehealthassessments

10­208 Exemption from examination or treatment

10­208aPhysicalactivityofstudentrestricted;boardtohonornotice10­209 Records not to be public. Provision of reports to school.

10­212Schoolnurses

10­214Vision,audiometricandposturalscreenings.Whenrequired.Notificationofparentsredefects;recordofresults

DepartmentofPublicHealth,PublicHealthCode,10­204a­2a,10­204a­3a,10­204a­4Section4ofPA14­231

20U.S.C.Section1232h,NoChildLeftBehindAct

FederalFamilyEducationalRightsandPrivacyActof1974(section438oftheGeneralEducationProvisionsAct,asamended,addedbysection513ofP.L.93­568,codifiedat20 U.S.C.1232g.

P.L.93­568;codifiedas20U.S.C.1232g

42U.S.C.1320d­1320d­8P.L.104­191,HealthInsurancePortabilityandAccountabilityActof1996(HIPAA)

Policy adopted:

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