General Information
SCCSD has the services of a full-time Registered Nurse. First aid is administered as necessary. In the event of a serious injury, the parents are contacted immediately. If the situation warrants, paramedics will be called and the student will be taken to an area hospital; the ambulance cost will be the parent’s responsibility. Emergency information must be up-to-date. Each child has a permanent Health Record where all pertinent information is recorded. Please keep the school notified of any health problems. All information is held confidential. Please feel free to contact the school to discuss any health problems or attendance concerns.
If a teacher suspects a child is ill while in class, the child will be sent to the Nurse Office. A body temperature is always taken before parents are called to come to school to pick up their child. Students with fevers of 100 degrees or more are sent home. Students must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication before returning to school. If your child has vomited, the child should remain home until he/she has not vomited for 24 hours. When an outbreak of an illness or condition occurs in a classroom, an informative note may be sent home. If a child is absent three consecutive days or more, a note from the doctor may be necessary to explain the condition.
For the protection of your child and others, please do not send your child to school with any of the following: fever, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, persistent cough, sore throat, swollen glands, earache, and/or runny nose.
Health Forms
Immunization against childhood diseases are required by Mississippi Law in order to enter school, Head Start, or day care. Specific vaccinations are also recommended for students entering high school or college.
The Mississippi State Department of Health provides all necessary immunizations at low cost. Immunizations are free if you qualify for the Vaccines For Children program.
→ Mississippi School Immunization Laws
Vision and Hearing Screenings
SCCSD nurses conduct vision and hearing screenings for its students according to the following schedule. Vision screenings are conducted for all students in Kindergarten, second grade, eighth grade, all new students to the District, and annually for all students who receive special education. Hearing screenings are conducted for all students in Kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, all new students to the District, and annually for all students receiving special education.
Speech and Language Screening
Periodically throughout the school year, Speech-Language Pathologists of SCCSD will be evaluating children for possible articulation, fluency (stuttering), voice, or language problems. Those students to be screened include: 1) new students to the District who have not been previously screened; and 2) pupils recommended by their classroom teacher or parent. Parents will be notified of screening results.
Flu Information
District and school administrators are working with U.S. and Mississippi education and health agencies to plan for the upcoming flu season to be sure our policies and practices
are appropriate should the flu impact our schools. As more information is available, it will be shared with families.
Overall, students and staff are reminded to exercise good personal hygiene habits. The Mississippi Department of Public Health suggests the Three C’s:
Clean – Wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of germs
Cover – Your cough or sneeze with a tissue or sleeve, not your hand
Contain – your germs – stay home if you are sick
Parent Resources
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov
Mississippi Department of Public Health
www.msdh.state.ms.us