News

Immunization Requirements

Changes to school immunization requirements [PDF] for five vaccines take effect Aug. 1 according to Texas Department of State Health Services officials. Changes affect mainly students entering kindergarten and seventh grade. All immunizations must be completed by the first day of attendance at public and private schools. Visit www.dshs.state.tx.us for more details.

Immunization Resources

Vaccine Exemption

Notice concerning control and prevention of staph infections.

Click to read the notice from MISD's Sports Medicine team concerning staph infections.

C.A.T.C.H. Questions & Answers

Q & A’s regarding MISD’s Coordinated School Health Program

CATCH Website (Coordinated Approach To Child Health)

What is CATCH and why are we implementing this program?

Realizing the problem of rising obesity rates among children prompted the 77th Legislature to pass Senate Bill 19 in May of 2001. The bill addresses children’s health by acknowledging a change within existing school environment for daily physical activity in public schools and a coordinated school health approach aimed at reducing the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 Diabetes in elementary school students. Under this law, each elementary school in Texas must participate in training and implement a coordinated school health program approved by TEA. The CATCH program was approved by TEA in October of 2002.

What is Coordinated School Health?

Coordinated School Health is a process that brings a school community together to teach children to be healthy for a lifetime. Effective coordinated school programs reinforce positive healthy behaviors throughout the day and make clear that good health and
learning go hand in hand.

What are the four components of CATCH?

CATCH builds an alliance of children, parents, teachers, and school staff to teach skills and behaviors associated with maintaining healthy lifestyles. CATCH coordinates four component areas:

Physical Education - CATCH P.E. provides standard based physical education lessons to teach lifelong movement skills which blend both fun and fitness
School Nutrition - CATCH Eat Smart guides school cafeteria toward promoting a nutrition rich environment
Classroom - Go for Health, a cartoon and peer-based curriculum, teaches healthy eating, daily physical activity and tobacco avoidance-habits that prevent chronic disease.
Family - At home, the health messages children learn in school are reinforced with interactive and enjoyable Home Team activities. The school community is brought together through CATCH Family Fun Nights or other events encouraging a healthy family lifestyle.

Who receives the CATCH training on our campuses?

At all elementary campuses, the P.E. teacher, nurse, a cafeteria representative, a classroom teacher representative, and possibly others, are trained and help form the Campus Coordinated School Health Committee

Nurses' Corner

School Health Guidelines

These guidelines will be followed for the protection and well being of all of our students.

A student will be sent home if he/she has any of the following:

Fever of 100F or above
Suspected contagious disease
Vomiting or diarrhea
Undetermined rash over any part of the body
Presence of lice or nits on hair shaft
Red eye with watering or crusting
Feels too badly to remain at school

If your child has any of the above symptoms in the morning before school, PLEASE keep him/her at home.

Your child should remain at home until he or she is free of fever for 24 hours.

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the school nurse.

Medication Guidelines

District employees will not give a student prescription medication, nonprescription medication, herbal substances, anabolic steroids, or dietary supplements, with the following exceptions:

Authorized employees, in accordance with policy FFAC, may administer:

Prescription medication provided by the parent, along with a written request or doctor’s note, and in the original, properly labeled container.
Medication from a properly labeled unit dosage container filled by a registered nurse or another qualified District employee from the original, properly labeled container.
Nonprescription medication provided by the parent along with a written request, and in the original, properly labeled container.
Herbal or dietary supplements provided by the parent if required by the student’s individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan for a student with disabilities.

In certain emergency situations, the District will maintain and administer to a student nonprescription medication, but only:

In accordance with the guidelines developed with the District’s medical advisor and
When the parent has previously provided written consent to emergency treatment on the District’s form.

A student with asthma and/or anaphylaxis who has written authorization from his or her parent and physician or other licensed health-care provider may be permitted to possess and use prescribed asthma and/or anaphylaxis medication at school or school-related events. The student and parents should see the school nurse if the student has been prescribed asthma and/or anaphylaxis medication for use during the school day. Students are encouraged to keep an extra inhaler and anaphylaxis pen in the clinic as a backup.

Only those medications that are necessary for a student’s medical care and that cannot be given outside of school hours will be administered. If a medication is ordered three times a day, the second dose may be given at home, after school. If medication is ordered four times a day, the second dose may be given at school. Please request your pharmacist provide you with two labeled bottles of medication: one for home and one for school.

ALL MEDICATION MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE NURSE’S OFFICE UPON ARRIVAL TO SCHOOL.

According to the Nurse Practice Act, the school nurse may refuse to give any medications or specified dosage that may be considered not in the best interest of the student.

All requests for the administration of prescription and non-prescription medication must be renewed at the beginning of each school year. At the end of a school year, all medication will be returned. Any medications not retrieved will be immediately discarded.

PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
Teachers and other District employees may discuss a student’s academic progress or behavior with the student’s parents or another employee as appropriate. In addition, a District employee who is a registered nurse, a licensed vocational nurse, an advanced nurse practitioner, a physician, or a certified or credentialed mental health professional can recommend that a student be evaluated by an appropriate medical practitioner, if necessary.

“Psychotropic drug” means a substance used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disease or as a component of a medication and intended to have an altering effect on perception, emotion, or behavior. It is commonly described as a mood- or behavior-altering substance. (For further information, see policies as FFAC.)

HEALTH SCREENINGS

Vision and Hearing Screenings: Any student new to the district who does not present documentation of recent vision and hearing screening results will be screened prior to completion of the first semester of enrollment or within 120 calendar days of enrollment. Routine screening of students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and grades 1, 3, 5 and 7 shall be performed for vision and hearing problems annually at any time during the reporting year prior to May 31. If the screening indicates the student may have vision or hearing problems, the school shall send the original copy of the screening report to the student’s parent/guardian along with a letter advising them to schedule an exam with a professional healthcare provider.

Spinal Screening: Students in grades 6 and 9 shall be screened for abnormal spinal curvature before the end of the school year. If the screening indicates the student may have an abnormal spinal curvature, the school shall send the original copy of the screening report to the parent/guardian along with a letter advising them to schedule an exam with a professional healthcare provider.

Acanthosis Nigricans (AN) Screening: Students in grades 1, 3, 5, and 7 shall be screened at the time of hearing and vision screening. If this marker indicating too much insulin in the blood is present, the school shall notify the parents and advise them to schedule an exam with a professional healthcare provider.

*If parents/guardians prefer to have the spinal screening or acanthosis nigricans screening performed by a physician, please submit the physician’s report within the first two weeks of school.

Medical Records: The parent/guardian of a student is entitled to access the student’s medical records maintained by the district and, upon request, will be provided a copy.

Health-Related Matters

Clinic
The clinic should be used for the purpose of receiving first aid treatment for injuries or for sudden illnesses. When the nurse is not on campus a substitute nurse will provide services on campus or the student should report to an assistant principal’s office.

When it is necessary for a student to go to the nurse, he or she must first get a pass via the student planner from his or her classroom teacher or an assistant principal. The student must be sure to sign in and out of the clinic.

When the student returns to class later in the period or the next day, the teacher must ask him or her for verification in the student planner from the clinic indicating how long the student was in the clinic and the time the student left the clinic.

Other Health-Related Matters

Tobacco Prohibited
The District and its staff strictly enforce prohibitions against the use of tobacco products by students and others on school property and at school-sponsored and school-related activities. [For more information, see the Student Code of Conduct and policy GKA.]

Asbestos Management Plan
The District’s Asbestos Management Plan is designed to be in compliance with state and federal regulations. For information contact the MISD Maintenance Office at 972-775-1148.

Pest Management Plan
The District complies with state and federal guidelines regarding Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Except in an emergency, signs will be posted 48 hours before service is performed. For information contact the MISD Maintenance Office at 972-775-1148.

Vending Machines
The District has adopted policies and implemented procedures to comply with agency and food service guidelines for restricting student access to vending machines. For More information regarding these policies and guidelines, see the building principal. [For more information, see policies CO and FFA]

Physical Activity for Students in Elementary Grades
The District will make available for public inspection a statement of the policy adopted to ensure that students in elementary grades engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day or 135 minutes per week, along with other information. For information regarding the District’s requirements and programs regarding elementary student physical activity requirements, please see the campus principal.

Physical Activity for Students in Elementary and Middle School
Students in middle or junior high school shall engage in 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity per day for at least four semesters OR at least 225 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity within a two-week period for at least four semesters.

For additional information on the district's requirements and programs regarding elementary, middle, and junior high school student physical activity requirements, please see the principal.

The Clinic and School Health Guidelines
The clinic should be used for the purpose of receiving first aid treatment for injuries or for sudden illness. When it is necessary for a student to visit the nurse, he/she must first receive a pass from the teacher. For the protection and well being of all students and staff on campus, these district guidelines will be followed in accordance with sending a student home for the day:

Fever of 100 F or above;
Suspected contagious disease;
Vomiting or diarrhea;
Undetermined rash over any portion of the body;
Presence of lice or nits on shaft of hair;
Red or pink eye with watering or crusting;
Feels too badly to remain as school.

If your child has any of the previously mentioned symptom s or conditions in the morning before coming to school, please keep the child at home. A child should remain at home until he/she is clear of fever or symptoms for 24 hours.

School Health Advisory Council
Information regarding the District’s School Health Advisory Council, including the number of meetings scheduled or held during the year, and information regarding vending machines in District facilities and student access to the machines is available from the principal. [See also policies BDF and EHAA.]

Other Health Related Matters
The District and its staff strictly enforce prohibitions against the use of tobacco products by students and others on school property or at school-sponsored or school-related activities. [See the Student Code of Conduct and policy GKA.]

Bacterial Meningitis

State law requires the District to provide the following information:

What is meningitis?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria. Viral meningitis is most common and the least serious. Bacterial meningitis is the most common form of serious bacterial infection with the potential for serious, long-term complications. It is an uncommon disease, but requires urgent treatment with antibiotics to prevent permanent damage or death.

What are the symptoms?
Someone with meningitis will become very ill. The illness may develop over one or two days, but is can also rapidly progress in a matter of hours. Not everyone with meningitis will have the same symptoms. Children (over 1 year old) and adults with meningitis may have a sever headache, high temperature, vomiting, sensitivity to bright lights, neck stiffness or joint pains, and drowsiness or confusion. In both children and adults, there may be a rash of tiny, red-purple spots. These can occur anywhere on the body. The diagnosis of bacterial meningitis is based on a combination of symptoms and laboratory results.

How serious is bacterial meningitis?
If it is diagnosed early and treated promptly, the majority of people make a complete recovery. In some cases it can be fatal or a person may be left with a permanent disability.

How is bacterial meningitis spread?
Fortunately, none of the bacteria that cause meningitis are as contagious as diseases like the common cold or the flu, and they are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been. The germs live naturally in the back of our noses and throats, but they do not live for long outside the body. They are spread when people exchange saliva (such as by kissing; sharing drinking containers, utensils, or cigarettes). The germ does not cause meningitis in most people. Instead, most people become carriers of the germ for days, weeks, or even months. The bacteria rarely overcome the body’s immune system and cause meningitis or another serious illness.

How can bacterial meningitis be prevented?
Do not share food, drinks, utensils, toothbrushes or cigarettes. Limit the number of persons you kiss. While there are vaccines for some other strains of bacterial meningitis, they are used only in special circumstances. These include when there is a disease outbreak in a community or for people traveling to a country where there is a high risk of getting the disease. Also, a vaccine is recommended by some groups for college students, particularly freshmen living in dorms or residence halls. The vaccine is safe and effective (85-90 percent). It may cause mild side effects, such as redness and pain at the injection site lasting up to two days. Immunity develops within seven to ten days after the vaccine is given and lasts for up to fine years.

What should you do if you think you or a friend might have bacterial meningitis?
You should seek prompt medical attention.

Your school nurse, family doctor, and the staff at your local or regional health department office are excellent sources for information on all communicable diseases. You may also call your local health department or Reguinal Texas Department of Health office to ask about meningococcal vaccine. Additional information may also be found at the Web sites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Department of State Health Services.

Advisory Council

Meeting Minutes:

CAMPUS	NAME	CAPACITY
T.E. Baxter Elementary	Cheryl Chamberlain	Nurse
	Hila Cooper	Parent
	Ken Weins	Parent

J.R. Irvin Elementary	Brandy Kemp	Nurse
	Scott Cotton	Parent
	Stephanie Frankiewicz	Parent

Longbranch Elementary	Jane Crawford	Nurse
	Jo McCool	PE Teacher
	Nikki Clayton	P.E. Aide/Parent
	Mindy Bell	Parent
	John Jones	Parent

LaRue Miller Elementary	Joanne Sullivan	Nurse
	DeAnn Black	Parent
	Kim Huff	Parent

Mt. Peak Elementary	Will Probst	PE Teacher
	Ellen James	Parent
	Kim Kemp	Parent

J.A. Vitovsky Elementary	Craig Coker	PE Teacher
	Phyllis Kirk	Parent
	Ashley Swafford	Parent

Frank Seale Middle School	Wendy Colburn	Nurse
	Beverly Berrier	Parent/RN
	Amy Penny-Lowe	Teacher
	Nicky Bottkol	Parent
	Emalee Lowe	Student

Walnut Grove Middle School	Carol Hitt	Nurse
	Michelle Bannick	Parent
	Dr. Brian Woods	Parent/ Medical
	Amanda Penwarden	Student

Midlothian High School	Judi Fiorenza	Nurse
	Anne Beckham	Parent
	Dena Petty	Parent

Community	Brian Achilles	ARAMARK
	Susan Morgan	REACH Council
	Tom Montgomery	Midlothian Fire Dept.
	Karla Evans	Community
	Judy Davis	Community

MISD Administration	Diane Foster	Curriculum
	Lisa Knight	Special, Federal Programs
	Judy Walling	Assistant Superintendent

Chair Persons:	Diane Foster	Co-Chair
	Lisa Knight	Co-Chair
	Mindy Bell	Co-Chair