Health

Guidelines For Staying At Home

There are three main reasons to keep a child home from school.

  1. The child doesn’t feel well enough to take part in normal activities.
  2. The child needs more care than teachers and staff can give and still care for the other children.
  3. The illness is on this list (LINKED HERE) and staying home is recommended.

To Report An Absence

If your child will be absent from school, we ask that parents call the main school line at 720-561-3600  or email horizonsk8.office@bvsd.org to report the absence.  To leave a message hit the # key as soon as your call is answered.

Medications In School

In the Boulder Valley School District, the following guidelines are in place to provide for the safety of all students. Keep in mind that most staff who administer medications to students are non-medical people working under the supervision of a School Nurse Consultant. Please contact your student’s school’s health room paraprofessional or the District Health Services Office (720-561-5544) with any questions regarding medication procedures.
Boulder Valley students may receive medications at school according to the following procedure:
  • Medications may not be in the personal possession of students.
  • For all prescription and non-prescription medications, a student’s parent or guardian shall make a written request for school personnel to administer medications by providing a completed Medication Administration Authorization form, which is to be signed by both parent and physician.
  • A new form must be signed and submitted for each new prescription medication, non-prescription medication or dosage change. Authorization forms must be completed each year.
  • Medications should always be delivered to the health room staff or office staff by an adult.
  • The student must report to the health room or school office to take medications. EXCEPTION: Any student who requires the use of an inhaler or EpiPen may carry and self-administer the prescribed medication if the physician signs a specific statement on the Medication Administration Authorization form, endorsing the student’s capability for this.
  • Prescription medication supplied by the student’s parents or guardian must be in a properly labeled bottle dispensed by a pharmacy.
  • Non-prescription, “as needed” medications must be in the original labeled container. The bottle should also be labeled with the student’s name.
  • It is the responsibility of the parent to obtain all unused medication from the school when the medication is discontinued, the school year ends, or the student transfers to another school. At the end of a school year, school staff will dispose of all unclaimed medications.
  • Parents may always come to school and administer medication to their child.

Role of the Health Room Paraprofessionals

Our Health Room Paraprofessional carries out the health room duties during the school day.  Other office staff members may help fill this role in the absence of the Health Room Para.  BVSD Health Services provides oversight of the Health Room Para and other unlicensed school personnel who are trained to respond to the immediate health needs of students.  Typically, Health Room Paras and other office staff members are not medical professionals.  School Nurse Consultants provide general training and develop safety plans involving first aid training, medication administration, and other skills as needed, to assist in the care of students who come to the classroom teacher or office staff with a health need.

Immunizations

Colorado law (Board of Health rule 6 CCR 1009-2) requires all students attending Colorado schools and licensed childcare to be vaccinated against certain diseases unless an exemption is filed.

Schools work hard to ensure compliance with the immunization laws. Your help in providing updated immunization records or exemptions at school registration and when your child receives additional vaccine(s) is greatly appreciated. You should discuss your child’s vaccination needs with your child’s doctor or local public health agency.   

Under Colorado law, a student may be exempted from immunizations if they have submitted a signed medical, religious, or personal exemption. 

Please visit BVSD’s immunization resource page for current information, certification forms, and exemption forms.

Other Important Health Forms

Medication Administration Authorization Form     Colorado Asthma Care Plan

Colorado Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan

Return To School After Concussion

Safety

BVSD provides a number of resources and programs aimed at protecting student personal safety and preventing children and youth from initiating or engaging in harmful behaviors. Students need to feel safe to be able to learn. Boulder Valley School District is committed to the safety and security of each of the more than 30,000 students and staff using our facilities each day.  The Security Department for the Boulder Valley School District operates 24 hours a day year-round, including weekends and holidays. Security agents patrol schools after hours and on weekends.

If you need to report a non-life threatening emergency such as vandalism, water line breaks or suspicious activity around a school, call the Security Department at (720) 561-5051.

In the case of a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Safe2Tell®

Safe2Tell provides young people a way to report any threatening behaviors or activities endangering themselves or someone they know, in a way that keeps them safe and anonymous. For additional information and resources, please visit the BVSD Safety and Security website.

Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures

Getting to school safely is the first step! Please review our Drop OFF and Pick UP procedures 

Please visit the BVSD Health Services Parent and Student Health Resources page for information about immunizations, specific health conditions, medications, health forms, and other district health policies.