If your student has an emergency, we need to contact you. Please be sure to update your phone numbers, address and designated emergency contacts in ParentVUE or complete and return the Emergency Contact and Health History form to your child's school whenever changes are needed. This must be completed for each student in your family. This emergency and health information is available to school staff, as necessary, to work with your student. Accurate and up-to-date information makes it possible for school personnel to provide proper emergency care according to your wishes. 

In case of a medical emergency or illness, school personnel will attempt to notify you immediately. It is your responsibility to make arrangements for the proper care and transportation of your child if he/she should be met with an accident or become too ill to remain in school. These arrangements include designating friends or relatives who would be available to pick up and care for your child in the event we are unable to reach you. Including their names as emergency contacts allows us to release your student to their care. If the emergency is highly urgent, school staff will call 911 and a copy of the emergency form will be given to the ambulance attendant.

Please send a request to the health services staff if your child needs to be excused from physical education. Written instructions are required from the student's medical provider if the student is to be excused for more than two days and must include a re-entry date and any restrictions or accommodations.

Osseo Area Schools is committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment for all our students, staff, community, and visitors.

Ensure Sick individuals are sent home from school

Individuals who have a fever of greater than 100.4 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea or are not well enough to participate in learning while at Osseo sites will be sent home. These individuals may return when they have had no episodes of diarrhea, vomiting or fever for 24 hours without the use of medications and are well enough to participate in learning.

If your student becomes too ill to remain in school, school personnel will attempt to notify you immediately. It is your responsibility to make arrangements for the proper care and transportation of your child. In the event we are unable to reach you your designated emergency contacts will be called. Emergency contacts can be added in ParentVue or by completing an emergency form and submitting it to your child’s school.

Ensure sick individuals stay home when not feeling well

Staff, students, and families will be informed of and encouraged to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of many potential infectious diseases as listed on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website. Individuals with symptoms, even when mild, should remain home until they are well enough to be in the learning environment to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases. For those at increased risk of complications, individuals should reach out to a healthcare provider, even when symptoms are mild, for consultation.

These symptoms include but are not limited to; consistent cough, fever over 100.4 degrees, difficulty or trouble breathing, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, excessive fatigue, severe headache, nasal congestion, or severe runny nose.

Individuals who test positive for any infectious disease such as: COVID-19, Influenza or RSV, should:

•      Notify their child’s school or childcare

•      Follow exclusion periods from schools which can be found on the district website under Communicable Diseases.

All staff and students who are ill should remain out and return to sites when their symptoms are improved, and they are well enough to attend. Staff should follow their sick leave procedure as is laid out in their contract and families should call the attendance line

To go to school in Minnesota, students must show they've had the required immunizations, or must file a legal exemption* with the school.

Check to see if your child has the required immunizations:

• Preschool/Childcare
• Kindergarten-grade 12

For more information, call your doctor, clinic, or health plan, or visit the Minnesota Department of Health website.

* Parents may file a medical exemption signed by a health care provider or provide conscientious objection signed by parent/guardian and notarized.

Diagnosis, treatment of illness, and/or prescribing medications are the responsibility of physicians, not school personnel. School personnel will administer medications that have been prescribed by a physician to be given during school hours with parent permission. Morning or evening medications should be given at home to avoid interruptions in the school day. 

Medication Administration Authorization form is required to be completed annually by your child’s physician, with a written or electronic authorization by a parent/guardian, for a medication to be dispensed to your child from the health office during the school day. 

• Parents/guardians must inform the building nurse when a student requires medications during the school day. Students observed by school personnel self-administering unauthorized medications shall be reported to their parents/guardians. 
• Required for the administration of ALL medications. This includes prescription and over-the counter (i.e. Tylenol, Ibuprofen) medications. The form must include the student’s name, diagnosis, name of medication, dose, time to be given, date of order and signatures parent/guardian and physician. 
• Prescription medication must be provided in a pharmacy-labeled container that indicates pharmacy name and telephone number, student’s name, physician, name and dosage of medication, and description of medication inside. Parent/guardian should request from the pharmacist a duplicate labeled bottle for the prescription if it will need to be given at home and school. 
• Over-the-counter medication must be in the original container. 
• The building nurse will administer prescribed medication. In the absence of the nurse, the medication will be administered by a trained designee named by the principal, in consultation with the building nurse. 
• Check the expiration dates of the medication(s). Expired medications will not be administered. 
• Controlled Substances. A Parent or legal guardian is responsible to pick up all medication(s) that are controlled substances at the request of the school. 

Self-Administration of Medication Authorization Form is required to be completed annually for self-carry and self-administration. By completing this form, the parent/guardian is not requesting school personnel to store or administer the medication to the student. Parent/guardian will ensure the medication will be properly labeled for the student. 

• Prescription asthma inhaler for asthma or reactive airway disease. A parent/guardian’s written or electronic authorization and a review by RN with the student is required. (A physician’s order is needed only if an inhaler is kept in the health office for nurse to administer). 
• Epinephrine or other medication. A physician’s order, parent/guardian written authorization, and a review by RN with the student is required. 

Self-Administration of Medication Form is required to be completed annually, either written or electronic consent, for secondary students’ self-carry and self-administration of: 

• Non-prescription pain relief medication. A secondary student may possess and use non-prescription pain relief in a manner consistent with the labeling. The district may revoke a student’s privilege to possess and use non- prescription pain relief if the district determines the student is misusing or abusing this privilege. 
• Ephedrine or pseudoephedrine containing products. This form does not allow students to possess or use any non-prescription medications with ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as an active ingredient. 

All medication forms are available on the ISD 279 district website under Services > Health Services-> Forms, https://www.district279.org/services/health-services or can be requested from the building nurse at your child’s school.
 

OASIS is an information and support program for parents of children with various diagnoses and disabilities, and other learning and behavior differences. The group is open to all parents, caregivers, and staff.

Educators, students and families, you are welcome to join this free training on mental health and pertinent issues in school and the community. Remember, this is an opportunity for educators to gain access to FREE CEUs! These trainings are provided in conjunction with District 279 and Prairie Care.

• 2019 MN Student Survey District Tables
• 2019 MN Student Survey Statewide Tables

Click here to access the reports on the Minnesota Department of Education website.

The Northwest Immunization Clinic located at the Enrollment Center offers free immunizations to eligible students. Minnesota is a “No Shots, No School” state; in order to enroll, students must be up-to-date on required immunizations.

The clinic also provides assistance with accessing local health care, health insurance, employment, and other community resources. The nurse can also provide baby shots and shots for adults needing to obtain a green card. 

The Northwest Immunization Clinic is a program of the Northwest Family Resource Collaborative in partnership with Osseo Area Schools. The clinic is funded by the Northwest Family Resource Collaborative in partnership with Osseo Area Schools.

To schedule an appointment please call 763-585-7361.

ISD 279 works to make appropriate plans for those students with special health care needs. The primary responsibility for a student's health care rests with the parent/guardian. School health service is supportive health care that enables education of the student in a safe manner. A student with a "special health care need" is one with a chronic health problem that requires specialized health support beyond routine medication administration during the school day in order to attend school.

Students with special health care needs must be identified and appropriate initial plans developed before attendance at any district building. A team meeting that includes parents/guardians, student (if reasonable), building nurse, appropriate teacher, and others as directed by the principal shall be held for the purpose of establishing the needs and the plan of care (Individualized Healthcare Plan), and initiating the 504 or IEP process, if indicated.

• If a parent's request for service does not match the team's expectation of required care or is considered not to be a school health service, an independent evaluation by a neutral physician may be required and paid for by the school district.
• Provision of direct health care procedures (g-tube feedings, catheterization, etc.) beyond medication administration shall be authorized by physician order and parent/guardian signature. Orders must be renewed at least yearly or at the time of any changes in the procedure.
• The building nurse will be responsible for the case management of all special health needs. The building nurse may delegate health care in accordance with the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act when necessary. A regular documented program of training and supervision of appropriate teachers and other involved school personnel will be required.
• An Individualized Healthcare Plan (IHP) shall document the student's health concern/need, plan of care, and goals/desired outcomes. The IHP should also include an emergency plan if a student's condition may predictably result in an emergency situation. The IHP is the result of the initial team conference. It is written by the Registered Nurse and is filed in the student's health folder. 
• Information regarding a student's health needs shall be shared with those personnel who need to know in order to work with that student. This information shall be considered private in accordance with federal and state data practices law.
• The provision of special health care will be done in a manner that will protect privacy, promote developmentally appropriate student independence and minimize interruption to the education of the individual student and other students in the classroom. The location of services will be determined on an individual basis with the previous factors, safety and classroom needs in mind. 
• Equipment requirements particular to the needs of a given student and beyond that routinely used for the general health needs of students will be supplied and maintained by the student/family. Students with tracheostomies must have an emergency kit with them at all times.
• Requests for health service while off school grounds (during the school day for school-related activities) will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the district nurse. An invitation may be extended to the parents to attend and provide for their student's unique health needs. In the absence of parent help, a plan will be made to accommodate students with special health needs.
   

Osseo Area Schools does not provide health or accident insurance for injuries incurred by your child at school. Therefore, we encourage you to review your present health and accident insurance program to determine if your coverage is adequate.

Student Assurance Services, Inc. offers families the opportunity to purchase supplemental accident insurance at low cost. Supplemental insurance may be appropriate for families with large deductibles or co-insurance payments, including HSA plans.