Health / Environmental Information

By state law, all students must be properly immunized in order to enroll in school. State law requires written medical evidence of immunization of specific contagious illnesses that are a public health concern. Please see the Indiana State Department of Health’s School Immunization Requirements for the current year (click here) for more information. 

 

We also recommend that children entering preschool, kindergarten or first grade for the first time have a physical examination by a licensed health care provider. 
 
Please talk with your child’s doctor to make sure his or her immunizations are up-to-date. Information is also available online through the Indiana State Department of Health’s Children and Hoosier Immunization Registry Program (CHIRP) at https://chirp.in.gov.

 

Information and some vaccinations are also available through the Grant County Health Department, 401 S. Adams St., on the first floor of the Grant County Complex. Please call the Health Department for times and fees: 765-662-0377.

 

No student will be permitted to remain in school beyond 20 school days following enrollment without written documentation that the student meets the immunization requirements. (Board Policy 5320 and the Indiana Department of Health)

 

All records of your child’s immunizations must be brought to your school nurse for school record purposes.

 

The Indiana High School Athletic Association also requires physicals for participation in athletics. For current requirements and forms, visit the IHSAA online at www.ihsaa.org.

Parents/guardians should mention any allergies (medication, food, environmental, etc.) at time of registration. Marion Community Schools is committed to maintaining a learning environment that is as safe as possible for all students. A physician’s input is often needed to craft the best plan to deal with a student’s needs. Contact your child’s principal or school nurse to further discuss any such issues.

 

Marion Community Schools has guidelines in place that address the care of students with life-threatening allergies. For more information, see Board Policy 8530 and 8530AG.

No medication shall be administered to a student without the written and dated consent of the student's parent and, in the case of prescription medication, a doctor’s prescription. 

 

Prescription medication to be dispensed at school must be in its original container, labeled with the student’s name, date, and exact dosage. 

 

All over-the-counter medication to be dispensed at school should be accompanied by a statement describing the medicine, the dosage, and the time for it to be administered to the student.

 

 

No student shall be allowed to keep medicine at school except as provided by state law. Any medicine to be administered to a student shall be brought to either the principal's or school nurse's office where it will be kept in a secure place. The medication will be administrated to the student by the school nurse or a person designated by the school nurse or designated by the school principal. 

 

In certain circumstances, students with chronic medical conditions will be permitted to possess and self-administer medication while traveling to and from school, while at school, or while at a school-sponsored activity. Written permission from the parent/guardian and doctor’s authorization must be on file with the school office. Documentation from the doctor must include that the child has a chronic disease or medical condition for which medication has been prescribed; that the student has been instructed in how to self-administer the medication; and that the nature of the disease or medical condition requires emergency administration of the medication. (Board Policy 5330 and IC 20-33-8-13)

If a student is injured at school or at a school event, he or she must report the injury to a teacher and/or school official immediately. An incident report form must be completed and turned in to the school principal’s office. 

 

School nurses are trained in first aid, as are many other school employees. In the case of an emergency, school nurses and/or other personnel can administer first aid. In the case of an accident or emergency that requires further medical attention, the parent/guardian will be called. Please ensure that your school office has a current telephone number on file so that we can reach you in the event of an emergency.

A student who becomes ill during the school day should report to the school nurse. In a non-emergency situation, students should abide by school building requirements on when a hall pass is required, including passes to visit the nurse.

 

If the student needs to go home because of his or her illness, the nurse will contact the parent/guardian, and he or she will be released from school by the nurse (who will inform the Attendance Office). If this procedure is not followed and the student leaves school without properly checking out, the student will be counted truant, which could lead to disciplinary measures.

 

Please ensure that your school office has a current telephone number on file so that we can reach you in the event that your student is ill and needs to return home.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, head lice should not be considered as a medical or public health hazard. Head lice can be a nuisance, but they have not been shown to spread disease. Head lice can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. Sometimes the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection.

 

Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice. Head-to-head contact with a person with head lice is the most common way to get head lice. Such contact is common during play at school, at home, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).

 

Although uncommon, head lice can be spread by sharing clothing or belongings, such as hats, scarves, barrettes, combs / brushes, etc. Head lice do not fly or jump, and they cannot survive for more than a day or two if they fall off of a person. 

 

Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses advocate that students should not be kept out of school for treatment of head lice. The burden of unnecessary absenteeism to the students, families, school, and community far outweighs the risks associated with head lice, which are primarily nuisance-level concerns as stated above.

If you have any questions or concerns about Indoor Air Quality in any Marion Community Schools building, please contact the Marion Community Schools Indoor Air Quality Coordinator:

 

Dave Khalouf
Director of Operations
Marion Community Schools
765-674-6929
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Marion Community Schools has adopted a Pest Control Policy committed to providing students and staff a safe learning environment that seeks to prevent them from being exposed to pests and pesticide. (Board Policy 8432) 

 

During the non-winter months lawn pesticide use is a normal activity at Marion Community Schools to provide fertilization and weed control to lawns surrounding our buildings as well as our athletic fields. The chemicals used to treat these areas are the same as is used in residential lawn care. In almost all cases, the treatments of lawns will take place in the evenings or on weekends after the students have left to insure that students will not walk through treated areas for a minimum of four hours after treatment. The school building affected will be notified of the planned treatment a minimum of 48 hours prior to the treatment. 

 

If you would like to be notified in advance of such planned treatments, please contact your building principal to be placed on the notification list. Contact information for each school is listed here.

 

FROM: Marion Community Schools

 

SUBJECT: Meningococcal disease and vaccine

 

Indiana law requires that parents/guardians be informed each year “about meningococcal disease and its vaccine” (IC 20-30-5-18).

 

Meningococcal disease is a dangerous disease that can strike children and youths. The disease can progress rapidly and within hours of the first symptoms and may result in death or permanent disability including loss of hearing, brain damage, and limb amputations.

 

Symptoms of meningococcal disease often resemble the flu and can include a fever, headache, nausea, and stiff neck, making the disease difficult to diagnose. The bacteria that cause meningococcal diseases are transmitted through air droplets and by direct contact with the infected person. 

 

Fortunately, there is an immunization available and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine meningococcal immunizations.