Health Services

By the first day of school, all students attending Robbinsdale Area Schools must be in compliance with Minnesota Immunization Law. Students will not be allowed to attend school until they are in compliance with current state health requirements. Students who are entering early childhood programs, Kindergarten and 7th grade may require new immunizations. 

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, families who don’t get their children immunized may be putting them and others at risk for a number of diseases. These diseases can cause serious health problems, including death. Minnesota children are still getting diseases like measles, whooping cough (pertussis), and chickenpox (varicella). These diseases are contagious. They can spread rapidly – especially among groups of children who haven’t received their shots. Also, some of them, like whooping cough, are much more serious for children than they are for adults. You can protect your children by making sure they get all their shots.

If you have questions or need help with immunization resources, please contact your student's school. 

Minnesota Department of Health's Student Immunization Form

A full list of immunizations required by law can be found on the Minnesota Department of Health's Student Immunization Form. Attach a copy of your student's immunization record from their healthcare provider to this form. You can also use this form to claim an exemption from immunization requirements for medical reasons or conscientiously held beliefs. For exemptions due to conscientiously held beliefs, it is necessary to provide a notarized exemption form to the health office.

For more information, please see District Policy 515-Student Medication.

For students needing to take medication at school, please complete the below form each school year.

Guidelines

When possible, families should make arrangements so it is not necessary for school personnel to administer a medication to a student. However, there are cases when a student’s health could be compromised by not getting medication during school hours. When sending any prescription or non-prescription medication to school each year, families must send: 

1. Written permission (see form, above) authorizing personnel to administer medication. 
2. A written order from the physician (see form, above) indicating the necessity of any medication, including does are how often it can be given. The physician may fax the order to the school. 
3. The medication must be in the original labeled container. For prescription medication, the pharmacist will supply a duplicate labeled container so one can be kept at home and one can be kept at school. Each container should have the pharmacy phone number, student’s name, physician’s name, medication’s name, dosage, time to be given and route (oral, inhaled, etc.). 

Storage

Medication to be administered at school is to be kept in the Health Office. Exceptions are students who may carry an asthma inhaler or an epipen, if they have a written doctor’s order, written parent/guardian permission to do so and have demonstrated to the school nurse competency in administration. 

Half Tablets

Health Services Staff are not responsible for breaking tablets in half. This will not be done at school. When there is a physician's order to give half tablets, please speak with your pharmacist. 

Field Trips

If your student takes daily or as-needed medication, you will be receiving a form to complete indicating whether or not there is a need for this medication on field trips. Health Services Staff do not routinely accompany students on field trips and a teacher may be responsible for administration of medication. 

End-of-School-Year Procedure

Robbinsdale Area Schools does not send medications home with students during the school year, including the last day of school. On the last day of school, students are only allowed to self-carry prescription asthma inhalers and non-syringe injectors of epinephrine home from school. 

Families are responsible for picking up all other student medications directly from the Health Office. Medications not picked up by the last day of school will be discarded as pharmaceutical waste. Only bring enough medication to last through the final day of school to prevent unnecessary disposal of student medication.

A student should not come to school (and will be sent home from school) if they have or have had: 

• A fever of 100 degrees F (orally) or higher in the past 24 hours without fever-reducing medication
• Vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
• An undiagnosed skin rash

Student absences should be reported to your student's school. Additionally, please notify the school if your student has a contagious condition such as chicken pox, strep throat or head lice. More information about communicable diseases can be found in the below guide. 

COVID-19

Robbinsdale Area Schools follows guidelines from the Minnesota departments of health and education, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as it relates to COVID-19.

If you've tested positive 
Follow the Minnesota Department of Health guidelines (see them here), which include staying home for five days after onset of symptoms or a positive test, followed by five more days of mask-wearing once you return to school.

Face coverings 
Face coverings and masks are optional across Robbinsdale Area Schools. This includes inside all schools and sites and aboard all school buses and vans, and applies to spectators and guests at district-sanctioned activities and events.

Robbinsdale Virtual Academy (RVA)
For those with concerns about in-person learning, or for those families who discovered their students thrive in a distance learning environment, RVA has been approved for K-12 online education. Please know, RVA is not a substitute for distance learning, but a school unto itself, and once enrolled, transfers can only be done at the end of a semester. Learn more by visiting the RVA website.

COVID-19 Vaccine
Please visit the Minnesota COVID-19 Response website for information on where to get vaccinated, vaccines for kids, COVID-19 boosters and more. Additional information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters, COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program, and how to get a vaccine can be found on the Minnesota Department of Health About COVID-19 Vaccine webpage.

Influenza (Flu)

Influenza (flu) is a respiratory disease caused by a virus that attacks the nose, throat, and lungs. It can be mild, but is sometimes
severe and at times can be life threatening. It is not the same as the “stomach flu.”

Flu symptoms include fever, dry cough, sore throat, headache, extreme tiredness, and body aches. These symptoms come
on quickly and can be severe keeping you in bed for several days.

Increasing numbers of students attend school with health conditions that may affect their ability to participate in classroom activities. Our professional Licensed School Nurses (LSN) will develop individual healthcare plans (IHPs) for students whose health care needs affect, or have the potential to affect, safe access to educational programming and academic performance.

An IHP is a written document which promotes communication and coordination of health care in the school setting. The IHP allows the school nurse to identify health care needs, provide documentation of the provision of health care and provides a plan to prevent potential emergencies. It is also used as an evaluation tool to monitor health outcomes.

LSNs use their professional judgment to determine whether a student requires an IHP; not all students require one. IHPs are developed with the input of the student, family and licensed health care provider as appropriate.

IHPs are reviewed at least annually, or sooner, as dictated by changes to the student’s health status.

Robbinsdale Area Schools is committed to the health and wellness of our students and staff. More information can be found in our District Policy 533-Wellness. 

Healthy Celebrations

Birthday celebrations at school provide a unique way to celebrating students. Schools do not allow edible birthday treats per District Policy 533-Wellness .

Teachers have their own special way to recognize birthdays in school. However, if families would like to acknowledge a student's birthday at school, they are encouraged to do so by:

• Donating a book to the classroom library and/or having a family member bring and read a book to the class
• Bringing a t-shirt for classmates and teachers to sign
• Organizing a game or craft for the classroom
• Volunteering in the classroom
• Visiting the class and talking about how birthdays are celebrated in your homeland
• Sharing your favorite story/fable/myth from your culture
• Being creative -- come up with your own idea to celebrate at school without food (please talk with your student's teacher about your idea)

Thank you for supporting a healthy and safe school environment!

Here are additional health form PDFs our families may need to access.

• Anaphylaxis Action Plan (PDF)
• Asthma Action Plan (PDF)
• Seizure Action Plan and Parent/Guardian Questionnaire (PDF)
• Student Health Information Form - English (PDF)
• Student Health Information Form - Spanish (PDF)
• 7th-8th Grade Nonprescription Pain Medication Authorization Form (PDF)
• 9th-12th Grade Nonprescription Pain Medication Authorization Form (PDF)