Dear DPS families,
As we begin a new school year, I want to share some important reminders to help keep our students safe and healthy this school year. Please review the information below carefully. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me directly.
Immunization Requirements
Immunization records must be provided to the school nurse before the first day of school. For complete details, visit the North Dakota Department of Health at https://www.hhs.nd.gov/.
To attend school, all students must meet North Dakota state immunization requirements:
- Students who turn 11 must receive:
- Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis booster) after their 10th birthday
- MCV4 (Meningococcal conjugate vaccine) after their 10th birthday
- A second dose of MCV4 is required on or after the 16th birthday
All children must be up to date according to school immunization requirements, or have claimed an exemption by October 1st of each school year, or they must be excluded from school
Medication at School
- Prescription Medications:
- A Medication Authorization Form is required, signed by both a licensed healthcare provider (LHP) and a parent/guardian.
- Medication must be delivered to school by an adult, in the original pharmacy-labeled container.
- Please do not send medication with your child, and do not bring medications to school without proper documentation.
- Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications:
- Require a completed Medication Authorization Form signed by a parent/guardian.
- If the dose differs from the product’s label, a healthcare provider’s signature is also required.
- Incomplete forms will not be accepted.
- Example: Name of OTC (Ibuprofen), Dose (200 mg), Time/Frequency (every 4 hours as needed), Route (by mouth), Reason for medication (headaches, general pain), Start date and end date, Instructions (Give 1 tablet (200 mg) by mouth every 4 hours as needed
Additional Notes:
- We do not recommend faxing doctors’ offices to get orders, so please complete the proper forms over the summer, before the first day of school.
- The school nurse is only present on limited days. Trained staff will administer medications in her absence.
- Emergency-only medications are encouraged when possible.
- Inhalers and EpiPens must have prescription labels and may be self-carried if authorized on the form.
- If your child is authorized to self-carry, ensure they can correctly use the medication by themselves.
- We recommend providing a backup inhaler or EpiPen to keep at school, as we do not stock emergency medications.
- Medications must be picked up at the end of the school year, or they will be properly disposed of.
Student Health History & Life-Threatening Conditions
To ensure the safety of all students, we must be aware of any life-threatening conditions (defined as “a health condition that will put a child in danger of death during the school day if a medication or treatment order and a nursing care plan are not in place”), including but not limited to:
- Severe allergies (e.g., bee stings, peanuts)
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Seizure disorders
If your child has a serious health condition, a physician- and parent-signed Emergency Care Plan (ECP) is required. This may be developed with your child’s provider and/or the district nurse. These forms are available online: DPS Health Services.
Please also contact me if your child has other health needs that may require assistance during the school day, such as:
- Dietary restrictions
- Mobility concerns
- Any other condition that may require support during the school day
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Your friendly district nurse,
Lindsey Pierce, RN, BSN
Lpierce@dpsnd.org
701-690-9120