Adopted: January 1979
Revised: July 2023
Download 506 - Student Welfare
1. Safety
The board recognizes its responsibility to provide a safe environment for students.
2. Student Health
2.1 Medication - School nurses may dispense medication to students only with appropriate authorization from the student's physician, parent or guardian. (See Administrative Regulation 506.2.2AR, Administering Medication.)
2.2 Serious Illness or Injury/Medical Emergencies
2.2.1 School officials will make every effort to contact parents using emergency contact information provided by parents in the event of serious illness or injury and school personnel will do everything possible to help the student(s) involved. However, when school authorities determine that illness or injury requires emergency care, emergency services will be contacted and used.
2.2.2. School personnel will not implement a "Do Not Resuscitate" request for a student. If the parent or guardian of a student asks to submit a "Do Not Resuscitate" request to a school, the school will advise the parent or guardian to discuss the issue with local medical emergency teams and local medical facilities.
2.3 Allergies - When the parent or guardian of a student, or an adult student (age 18 or over) informs the principal or school nurse in writing that the student has allergies to specific animals, food or other substances, school staff will implement evidence based procedures for preventing and responding to allergic reactions. (See Administrative Regulation 506.2.3AR, Severe Student Allergies.)
2.4 Individualized Health Services
2.4.1 A documented health plan shall be developed and implemented for students with special health needs by the school nurse, as requested by the parent or appropriate school personnel, or deemed necessary by the school nurse. The plan shall be developed in cooperation with the parent, appropriate school personnel and, as necessary, appropriate medical personnel.
2.4.2 Any private duty nurse or other person hired as an independent contractor by a student’s parent or guardian or an outside agency to care for a student at school and/or on district vehicles will be expected to abide by all district and school policies unless specifically stated otherwise in the student’s health plan. (See Administrative Regulation 506.3.2AR, Private Duty Nurses.)
2.5 Serious Infectious Diseases – The school district administration may take appropriate action to prevent and control the spread of serious infectious diseases and will follow applicable health directives from relevant authorities. Students with serious infectious diseases shall not be excluded from the school environment unless their attendance poses a significant risk of transmission of the illness to students, employees and others in the district and such exclusion would be permissible under applicable law. Any decision to exclude a student from school because he or she poses a significant risk of transmitting a serious infectious disease will be made on a case-by-case basis and shall
be made by school district administration, who may consult with relevant health professionals and, if the student is disabled, the student’s relevant educational planning team. All applicable disability, special education and data privacy laws shall be observed.
2.6 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) – District 196 strives to provide a safe environment for students, staff and visitors. In this regard, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) will be provided in school facilities where staff, first responders or others may access the unit in an emergency medical situation.
3. Suspected Maltreatment
In accordance with state law and Administrative Regulation, 506.4AR, Reporting Suspected Maltreatment of a Minor or Vulnerable Adult, District employees shall report suspected maltreatment of minors or vulnerable adults.
4. Death of a Student
4.1 If a student dies, in school or outside of school, the principal and other school employees will share information in a sensitive and timely manner in accordance with the family’s wishes and with Administrative Regulation 506.5AR, Response to the Death of a Student, and provide students and staff with the support necessary to respond to the death.
4.2 The School Board will observe a moment of silence in memory of a student at the next regularly scheduled School Board meeting after hearing about the death, unless requested by the family to keep this information private. (See Administrative Regulation 506.5AR, Response to the Death of a Student)
4.3 Decisions about memorials to deceased students or employees will be made in accordance with Administrative Regulation 506.5AR, Response to the Death of a Student.
5. Chemical Abuse
5.1 For the purposes of this policy and related regulations, chemicals (drugs) are defined as any substance that has a rapid mood-altering or intoxicating effect on the central nervous system and is:
5.1.1 Illegal as defined by state and federal laws;
5.1.2 Statutorily prohibited for those under age 21;
5.1.3 Legal by physician's prescription only, but obtained and/or used in non-prescribed ways;
5.1.4 Available as an over-the-counter drug, but obtained or used in non-recommended ways, or
5.1.5 One of certain volatile substances (glue, paint thinner, etc.) which can be inhaled for their mood-altering effect.
5.2 Use of any substances mentioned above in this manner by students will be dealt with appropriately by district staff as outlined in Administrative Regulation 503.3AR, Student Behavior Expectations and Consequences for Misbehavior.
5.3 The district recognizes that chemical abuse is one of the nation's leading health problems. In accordance with its continuing interest in the personal welfare, growth and performance of all students, the district recognizes its responsibility to help maintain the health and productivity of students who are or may become involved in chemical abuse.
5.4 Because the district recognizes that emotional, physical, economic and social problems are often related to the use of chemicals, it is committed to developing programs designed to educate and support students in the following ways: heightening awareness about chemical use and abuse; increasing knowledge about the symptoms and development of chemical dependency; creating a more receptive climate for early and effective intervention; and providing a supportive environment for individuals faced with chemical abuse problems.
5.5 The district recognizes that chemically dependent people can be helped to achieve freedom from active dependency when appropriate assistance is offered. While the district cannot provide treatment for chemical dependency, it is committed to the concept of providing appropriate assistance.
5.6 The district recognizes that a student's chemical abuse may interfere with his or her health and/or school performance. It is therefore necessary for staff members to take action when chemical abuse is either observed or suspected of interfering with a student's performance in any way, as described in Administrative Regulation 506.7.3AR, Student Chemical Abuse.
5.7 Opioid Antagonists – The district must keep and administer stock opioid antagonists in the manner authorized by this section and corresponding district regulations.
5.7.1 At least two doses of nasal naloxone, an opioid antagonist, must be kept in secured locations in each district school. Opioid antagonists will be authorized by a current standing order from the district’s licensed physician obtained by and in consultation with the Health Services Coordinator.
5.7.2 Stock opioid antagonists must be clearly labeled and stored in secured locations accessible to each school’s licensed school nurse and other trained staff persons.
5.7.3 Opioid antagonists may be administered by a trained, licensed school nurse or other trained staff person in an emergency when an opioid overdose is suspected in a student, staff member or visitor.
5.7.4 Before stocking opioid antagonists at a school, the school nurse and other appropriate staff members who will administer opioid antagonists at the school must be trained in the recognition of the signs of opiate overdose, the use of opiate antagonists as part of the emergency response to opiate overdose and the district’s protocol for the administration of opioid antagonists.
5.7.5 The Health Services Coordinator, in consultation with the Superintendent, has the authority to develop training for staff consistent with the requirements in section 5.7.4 and to determine the appropriate staff members to receive training.
5.7.6 Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to preclude, alter or infringe upon the application of Minnesota Statute 604A.04, Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention.
6. Pregnant Students and Students Who Have Children
Maternal, paternal or pregnancy status shall not affect the rights and privileges of students to receive a public education or to take part in any cocurricular activity offered by the school. (See Administrative Regulation 506.8AR, Pregnant Students and Students Who Have Children.)
7. Food Services
7.1 As a participant in the National School Lunch Program, all students who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals will be able to receive school lunch without charge.
7.2 Any food served to students in school, other than food prepared by the Food and Nutrition Services Department or in a properly supervised class, must be store-bought and brought to school still sealed in the original wrapper or container.
References:
- Minnesota Statute 121A.26, School preassessment teams
- Minnesota Chapter 260E, Reporting of Maltreatment of Minors
- Minnesota Statute 626.557, Reporting of maltreatment of vulnerable adults
- Minnesota Statute 626.5572, Definitions
- Minnesota Statute 124D.111, Lunch aid, food service accounting
- Minnesota Statute 152.23, Limitations
- Minnesota Statute 151.37, Legend Drugs; Who May Prescribe, Possess
- Minnesota Statute 604A.04, Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention
- Minnesota Statute 121A.224, Opiate Antagonists