- Willis Independent School District
- Health Services
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SCHOOL NURSING
A specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. (NASN 2017)
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DIRECTOR OF NURSING
Hailey Dobraski, RN, BSN
936-856-7484
hdobraski@willisisd.org -
IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION →
Immunization Requirements:
2022-2023 K-12 Immunization Requirements click HERE for English & Spanish forms.
2022-2023 Minimum Requirements for Childcare & Pre-K click HERE for English & Spanish forms.Immunization Clinics & Phone Numbers:
Montgomery County Public Health 936-523-5020
Lonestar Family Health Center 936-539-4004
Community Wellness Clinic 936-760-2784
Express Family Clinic 936-463-8104Exemption from Immunizations for Reasons of Conscience:
To submit your request online, please visit https://co-request.dshs.texas.gov/.
To print out and submit via mail or fax, please click HERE for the form in both English & Spanish.7th Grade Immunizations:
Mandatory 7th grade Immunization Guidelines click HERE. -
FIND YOUR CAMPUS NURSE →
Roark Early Education Center - Kristin Ennis, LVN
Hardy Elementary -Melanie Mansfield, RN, BSN
Parmley Elementary - Melissa Sunila, RN
Cannan Elementary - Stacy McNew, RN, BSN
Meador Elementary - Tara Snoe, RN, BSN
Turner Elementary - Jan Fletcher, RN
Lagway Elementary - Heather Stranimier, RN, BSN
Brabham Middle School - Brittany Landaverde, RN
Lucas Middle School - Kathalene Johnson, RN
Willis High School - Candice Lottinger, RN, Jamie Brett, Clinic AideDirector of Nursing - Hailey Dobraski, RN, BSN
District Floating Clinic Aide - Lisa McMahon -
WILLIS ISD GUIDELINES ON MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION →
Willis ISD Guidelines on Medication Administration
Guidelines are as follows:
- Only Health Care Providers with Prescription Authority in Texas can prescribe medications and treatments. Out-of-state physician orders will be accepted for 30 days from date of enrollment. During the 30-day provisional period, a healthcare provider with prescription authority in Texas must be established as the student’s physician
- A Willis ISD Medication Administration Form for the current school year must be completed accurately and in its entirety before medication can be administered at school
- The following medications that require a Physician’s order include:
- All prescription medication
- Non-prescription medication given more than 10 consecutive days
- Non-prescription medication when dosage is more than dosage on container or is requested to be used in a manner inconsistent with instructions, as labeled
- Changes in the administration of prescription drugs including dose and time must be in writing from the physician. Changes in the administration of non-prescription medications must be in writing from the parent/guardian and/or physician.
- Medication orders are valid only for the current school year.
- Only those medicines appropriate for that age child will be administered.
- Medications from foreign countries will not be accepted or administered by the school nurse or the principal's designee.
ADMINISTERING MEDICATION AT SCHOOL
Parents and physicians are strongly encouraged to schedule all necessary student medications, such as once daily medication, for administration during non-school hours. If a student must take medication during school hours in order to observe proper time intervals between doses and resume full participation in the school program, dispensing the medication can become the responsibility of the school.
When it is necessary that medications be given at the school, the following guidelines will be followed:
- Medication should be delivered to and picked up from the clinic by a parent or authorized adult. No medication will be transported on the bus. If a special circumstance should arise requiring the need to transport medication on the bus, the process will have to be discussed with the school nurse and proper administrators for approval and appropriate paperwork will be completed.
- All prescription drugs that are dispensed through a physician’s office must be in their original pharmacy container or packaging and labeled by the pharmacist or physician. The accompanying Willis ISD Medication Administration Form must be completed and signed by the parent AND physician.
- All non-prescription drugs must be in their original container. The accompanying Willis ISD Medication Administration Form must be completed and signed by the appropriate individuals. A physician must sign if medication is requested to remain in the clinic for more than 10 days.
- Medication orders are valid only for the current school year.
- There will be no more than one medication per properly labeled container.
- All medications will be stored and dispensed in the school clinic. Exceptions, such as life-threatening conditions, which require medications to be kept with the student, must be discussed and approved by appropriate school authorities and school nurse in advance. Proper physician paperwork will be required.
- All medications must be filled in the United States and must be FDA approved.
- Failure to comply with medication guidelines may result in disciplinary action for the student.
- In accordance with the Texas Nurse Practice Act, Rule 217.11, the campus nurse has the responsibility and authority to clarify any medication order with an appropriate licensed practitioner and/or refuse to administer medication that, in the nurse’s judgment, is not in the best interest of the student.
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EMERGENCY & ILLNESS CARE AT SCHOOL →
Emergency & Illness Care at School
The clinic provides a valuable service for students and staff who are ill, have health problems, or need emergency care. The school nurse is on duty during the school day, during school hours, to take care of individuals who are sick.
A Student Health Questionnaire Form should be completed online at the beginning of each school year. This form will give you an opportunity to list any medical conditions, allergies, medications and concerns you may have. This information is used to inform the school nurse and/or other necessary personnel of your student’s medical concerns. If a student has a medical emergency at school or a school-related activity and the parent/guardian has not provided the school with updated health information, the school may have to rely on previously provided information to obtain emergency medical treatment and information about allergies to medications, foods, insect bites, etc. Parents should keep emergency care information up-to-date (name of doctor, emergency phone numbers, allergies, etc.) Please contact the school nurse to update any information that the nurse or the teacher needs to know.
New physician orders, medication orders and Emergency Action Plans/Health Management Plans are required each school year and parents will be required to provide the updated information to the school nurse prior to the start of the school year. In the case of an emergency requiring the care of a physician and school staff are unable to contact you or the person(s) you have designated as your emergency contact, school officials will determine what steps will be taken to protect the health of your child, including calling 911 and transporting your child to a medical facility. Note that the District has no financial responsibility for the emergency care or transportation of your child.
When your child is ill, please contact the school to let them know he or she won’t be attending that day. It is important to remember that schools must exclude students with certain illnesses for periods of time as identified in state rules. For example, if your child has a fever over 100 degrees, he or she must stay out of school until they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications.
In addition, students with diarrheal illnesses must stay home until he/she is diarrhea free without diarrhea-suppressing medications for at least 24 hours. Illness at school is evaluated by the health service staff in the clinic area. A child who demonstrates the following symptoms should be sent home from school.
- Fever of 100 degrees or more.
- Suspected contagious condition or disease.
- Vomiting or diarrhea.
- Severe stomachache, headache, or earache.
- A child who is too ill to function in the classroom.
- Unidentified generalized rash
- An illness or injury that the nurse determines needs immediate medical attention
A full list of conditions for which the school must exclude children can be obtained from the school nurse.
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VISION, HEARING & SPINAL SCREENINGS →
Vision, Hearing, and Spinal Screening
Willis ISD Health Services, under the guidelines of the Texas Department of State Health Services, provides a screening program for vision and hearing for all students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades and students new to Texas.
Spinal screening is conducted for girls in 5th grade and 7th grade and boys in 8th grade. This screening is required by the Texas Department of State Health Services. If you prefer to have this screening done by your family physician, please send the results to the school nurse.
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HEAD LICE INFORMATION →
Willis ISD Health Services
Procedure Regarding the Presence of Head Lice at School
Head lice continues to be an ongoing nuisance. Willis ISD follows the requirements of TEC 38.031, and the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), as well as those contained in the position papers of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) in the treatment for head lice.
The goal of the District is to support families in their efforts to control and eliminate head lice while maintaining student privacy.
PROCEDURE FOR HEAD LICE DETECTION AND MANAGEMENT AT SCHOOL
The District’s Health Services Department utilizes the most current scientific research and best practices in its efforts to detect and manage head lice in the school setting. The school nurse trains campus staff in head lice detection and management procedures. As required by law, information about head lice infestation will be shared with parents, while at the same time maintaining confidentiality of student information in compliance with FERPA. Both the school nurse and the campus staff play a vital role in documenting head lice detection and management efforts. The following procedures should be followed:
- When a student is found to have live lice:
- The parent/guardian is notified and information related to detection and elimination of head lice will be provided.
- The parent/guardian of student and school officials will determine if the student should be sent home.
- The parent/guardian is instructed that the student should be treated before returning to school.
- In some cases, (based on the School Nurse’s professional judgment), it may be appropriate to have the student’s head checked upon return to school.
- When a student is found to have nits present (no live lice detected):
- The parent/guardian is notified and encouraged to pick the nits from the student’s hair at least daily for the next two weeks.
- The student is not sent home from school.
- Information related to detection and elimination of head lice is sent home with the student.
- When to check beyond the identified student with live lice:
- If the student has siblings in the same school, check the siblings for head lice.
- If the student has siblings in another District school, notify the parent/guardian that all members of the household should be checked and that precautionary measures should be taken to avoid family infestation.
- Classroom environment:
The classroom is only one of many environments where head lice can be transmitted. Current evidence and best practices does not support performing classroom checks for head lice. Steps should be taken to minimize the opportunity for transmission in the classroom by:
- Cleaning play items such as hats, wigs, dress up clothes etc. after each child’s use.
- Encouraging children not to share their personal items such as combs, brushes, hats, scarves, sweaters, coats, etc.
- Vacuuming the carpet frequently.
- Discouraging the sharing of cloth or upholstered pillows, mats, etc.
- Separately storing nap items such as (pillows, blankets, towels etc.) in cubbies or plastic bags. These items should be taken home at least weekly to be washed.
- Hanging sweaters, backpacks, and coats on hooks and not touching or by storing them in each student’s backpack.
- Encouraging students with long hair to wear their hair in “contained” hair styles (ponytails, buns, braids, etc.).
- Notification Procedures
- Written or electronic notice, which will contain information related to detection and elimination of head lice, will be provided to the parent/guardian of the student found to have live lice within 48 hours of detection by the school nurse or school administrator.
- For elementary schools only, written or electronic notice, containing information related to detection and elimination of head lice, will be provided to the parent/guardian of each child assigned to the same classroom as the child with lice within 5 school days after the date on which the administrator or nurse determines or becomes aware that a student in the classroom has head lice.
- In rare circumstances a student may be excluded from school. (See Exclusion Procedures) Notice of exclusion will be given to the parent in person or by phone contact.
- Exclusion Procedures
- In cases of chronic head lice infestation or severe head lice infestation that is disruptive to the learning environment, the School Nurse will be consulted to determine if a student should be recommended for exclusion.
- The nurse will consult with the building administrator to determine if the student should be excluded from school.
- For chronic head lice infestation cases, the nurse must secure documentation of repeated and unsuccessful head lice management measures.
- Notification Procedures (See #5 above) should be followed.
- The return of the student after exclusion will be predicated on a head check in the school clinic with evidence of progress in head lice management and progress toward eradication of the head lice. Evidence will look like elimination of live lice and a decrease in the number of nits.
- It may be appropriate, in the judgment of the school nurse, to monitor progress of head lice management over a period of time to ensure the family has been successful in eradicating the head lice.
Resources:
Head Lice Cynthia D Devore MD FAAP Gordon E Schultze MD FAAP The Council on School Health
and Committee on Infectious Diseases April 27, 2015 http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2015/04/21/peds.2015-0746.full.pdf+html
Center for Disease Control: Head Lice:http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/schools.html September 24, 2013
Clinical Report On Head Lice Barbara L. Frankowski, MD, MPH, Joseph A. Bocchini, Jr. MD, Council on
School Health and Committee on Infectious Disease, PEDIATRICS Vol. 126 No. 2 August 2010
Managing Head Lice in the School Setting and at Home https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/schoolhealth/lice.shtm
Pediculosis Management in the School Setting; National Association of School Nurses Position Paper https://www.nasn.org/PolicyAdvocacy/PositionPapersandReports/NASNPositionStatementsFullView/tabid/462/ArticleId/40/ Pediculosis-Management-in-the-School-Setting-Revised-2011
Note that the Head Lice Frequently Asked Questions may also provide helpful information.
- When a student is found to have live lice:
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COVID →
UPDATED 08/22/22
The best way to prevent the spread of illness in our schools is to stay home when ill. Washing/sanitizing hands often, especially before eating, after using the restroom, blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, and after coming in contact with highly touched objects such as doorknobs, handrails, etc. can help reduce the spread of illness. In accordance with 25 Texas Administrative Code §97.7 and the Texas Department of State Health Services, WILLIS ISD shall exclude from attendance any child having or suspected of having COVID-19. Exclusion shall continue until readmission criteria are met.
Self-Prescreening: To ensure the health and safety of all students and staff, all individuals should conduct self pre-screening for COVID-19 symptoms. Individuals waiting for COVID-19 test results due to symptoms or individuals currently experiencing any of the symptoms listed that are new and/or not normal for them that they suspect may be COVID-19, should stay home and consider seeking medical care and/or COVID-19 testing. Symptoms consistent with COVID-19 include:- Fatigue
- cough or shortness of breath
- sore throat
- congestion or runny nose
- significant muscle pain or body aches
- loss of taste or smell in the last 10 days
- diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain
- feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 °F
To report a COVID positive case for your student, please visit the Willis ISD website and click on Parents>COVID and select the appropriate school. You will be directed to complete a questionnaire and the campus nurse will be in contact with you to provide a return-to-school date once the questionnaire is completed.