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Bienvenidos a Northfield Public Schools!

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Northfield Public Schools

Health Services

The Board of Education of the Northfield Public Schools recognizes the importance of good physical, emotional and mental health, and supports the wellbeing of all students and families.

Health Services Staff

Absence Due to Illness

Please call the school attendance line at your student’s school by 9 a.m. every day that your student will not be in school. This line is a recorded message that you can call anytime, 24 hours a day.

Area Learning Center: 507.645.1240
Bridgewater: 507.664.3306
Greenvale Park: 507.645.3506
High School: 507.663.0616
Middle School: 507.663.0655
Northfield Community Education Center : 507.414.8771
Spring Creek: 507.645.3474

If a phone call is not received by 9 a.m. and your student does not arrive at school, you will be telephoned to verify the absence.

Students who arrive after the beginning of the school day are to check in with the office for a late arrival slip before reporting to their classroom.

Procedures

Students who are ill are to check in with the school nurse before calling parents to go home. Parents should sign their student out in the attendance office before leaving unless other arrangements have been made with staff.

Please report communicable diseases and head lice to the school nurse. Students, who are expected to miss several days due to health reasons, please contact the nurse as special arrangements can be made.

At each school the Licensed School Nurse and building nurses provide the following services to support Northfield students:

  • First Aid

    In case of an accident, first aid will be administered in the health office and the parent/guardian will be called. If a student needs further treatment, the parent, ambulance, or rescue squad will transport the student to the doctor or hospital. In the event that a parent/guardian cannot be reached, the school will contact the physician listed on the Health & Emergency Information form to make whatever arrangements necessary to provide health service to the student or call the rescue squad.

    It is very important that parents/guardians fill out the Health & Emergency Information form. A new form is sent home at the beginning of each school year. Any change during the year should be forwarded to the school’s health office. The emergency numbers (someone who can be responsible for a student in the absence of the parent/guardian) should be local numbers.

  • Illness

    To help assure good health care for students and alert health authorities to the presence of specific disease, parents are asked to call the school each morning the student is absent for any reason and to notify the school later if a specific disease develops.

    Since most diseases are spread before they are recognized, it is impossible to prevent exposure. Control measures are designed to protect individual students from complications. Parents are urged to keep their children home if they develop any symptoms suggestive of a communicable disease. The temperature guideline is: at 100 degrees the student goes home automatically. The child may return to school when they feel better and are fever-free without the aid of medication for at least 24 hours. Please do not send students who have an undiagnosed rash to school.

    If a student becomes ill while at school, the parent/guardian will be called. It is their responsibility to take the student home.

  • Recess & Physical Education

    Elementary Recess

    If a child has a cold or other illness or injury and his/her parent wants the child to stay inside during recess for a day, the parent will need to send a signed note of request that also states the reason. If parents feel the condition will require two or more days inside during recess, they must obtain and send a note from a doctor stating the reason and length. Students are outside when the temperature is at or above zero degrees. If the temperature is lower than minus 10 degrees wind chill, they will be inside.

    Physical Education

    A doctor’s note is required for students to be taken out of physical education class for three or more days and for release from participation, after broken bones, sprains or surgery.

  • Medication in School

    Policy

    Some students need to take medicine during the school day. Please complete the School Medication/Physician Order & Parent Authorization Form, which must accompany any medicine. Prescription medication must be in a prescription bottle from the pharmacy with the student’s name on it. Adults should bring the medication to the nurse’s office.

    The school does not supply over-the-counter medication (such as non-aspirin pain relievers, cough syrup, etc.). These medicines must also be accompanied by a permission form signed by a parent/guardian for use during the school day. Aspirin will not be given unless we have a physician’s permission because of possible complications of Reye’s Syndrome. Cough syrup is recommended rather than cough drops.

    If your student is on routine daily medication at home but does not need to take a dose at school, please let the school know the medication and the dosage so we are aware of the possible side effects to watch for while your student is in school.

    Parents, make sure the student’s coach has been notified of inhaler use and other health issues that could be affected by physical activity.

    Storage

    Medication to be administered at school is to be kept in the Nurse’s Office. Exceptions are students who may carry an asthma inhaler, if they have completed the inhaler contract. Other special requests may be discussed with the building nurse.

    Nebulizer Treatments

    Nebulizers are available in each building. Special arrangements may be made with your building nurse.

  • Annual Student Screenings

    Students will be screened for the following:

    Vision & Hearing

    Grades: 1, 3, 5, 7
    Grade 1: Color deficiency

    Scoliosis

    Grade: 5 girls
    Grade: 7 boys & girls
    High school follow-up on referrals
    scoliosis information sheet

    Any additional screening will be done by request. Parents will be notified of students who do not pass screening.

  • COVID-19 Safety Plan

    Weekly Influenza Like Illness Rates

    COVID-19 Resources (English)

    Recursos COVID-19 (Español)

Parent Responsibilities

Many health services documents require yearly updates by parents. Please find the appropriate form below.