Forest Hills Public Schools – Student Health Services<\/strong> Hours: M-F, 8:30 a.m. \u2013 4:30\u00a0p.m.<\/p>\n Phone: (616) 493-8635 Print a PDF version of this information<\/a><\/p>\n Lice is a common problem in schools today. It is crucial that schools AND parents\/guardians work together to control the issue of lice and the continuous cycle it creates.<\/p>\n If lice or nits are detected on your child, please treat IMMEDIATELY. There are home remedies, prescription and non-prescription (OTC) options. You can discuss these options with your pharmacist or physician. Note: some OTC medications have an increased resistance to some lice; so don\u2019t give up if the first line of treatment does not work for you.<\/p>\n Lice will move and become dark after they have had a feeding. Nits look like clear water drops attached to a strain of hair. Even if they are not viable, more than a \u00bc inch away from the scalp, they remain attached to the hair until they are combed out with a lice comb or pulled out a strain at a time. Both are extremely small.<\/p>\n Lice facts:<\/p>\n We need your help to stop the cycle of lice. Please take the time to help eradicate lice as soon as possible from school and from your home. If you receive a letter home stating that lice have been detected in your child\u2019s classroom, please check your child\u2019s scalp for the next 7-10 days to help eliminate any further lice contamination.<\/p>\n Thank you for your help.<\/div><\/div>\n Download a PDF version of this information<\/a><\/p>\n Our goal in giving you these guidelines is to reduce the spread of communicable disease at school and to promote a healthy environment for students attending school. They were created to help you in your decision making process as to whether to send your child to school or to keep your child at home.<\/p>\n Chickenpox<\/strong><\/p>\n Your child should remain home until lesions have crusted. For cases with non-crusting lesions: until lesions are fading or until no new lesions occur.<\/p>\n Cold with mild symptoms such as stuffy nose with clear drainage, mild cough<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? No. Your child may attend school if he or she is able to participate in school activities.<\/p>\n Cough<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Keep your child home if the cough is persistent and productive coupled with thick or constant nasal drainage.<\/p>\n Diarrhea<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child should be kept home for 24 hours after the last episode of diarrhea without the use of any medication.<\/p>\n Earache<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child should be kept home if earache is accompanied by unusual drainage or has other symptoms such as a fever.<\/p>\n Fever<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child should stay home if their temperature is 100 degrees or more. Child must be fever free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.<\/p>\n Fifth Disease<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? No. By the time the rash appears, children are no longer contagious and do not need to stay home.<\/p>\n Hand Foot Mouth Disease<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? No. If secretions from blisters can be contained, child does not need to stay home.<\/p>\n Head Lice<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child may return after their hair has been treated. Please see the Lice page on the FHPS district website under Health Information for further instructions on taking care of Lice at home.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Impetigo<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child may return to school 24 hours after treatment starts. Sores should be covered when child returns to school.<\/p>\n Influenza type illness<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child with Influenza-like illness (fever with a cough or sore throat) should stay home for 24 hours after fever has resolved without medication and cough has subsided.<\/p>\n Mumps<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child with mumps should stay home from school for a total of five days after the symptoms begin.<\/p>\n Pink Eye<\/strong> (conjunctivitis)<\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child may return 24 hours after treatment is started.<\/p>\n Poison Ivy<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? No. Poison Ivy is not contagious, so a child does not need to stay home. Open lesions should be covered when child is at school.<\/p>\n Ringworm<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? No. Child may come to school as long as the area is being treated and that it remains covered when the child is at school. Student should exclude from contact sports and swimming until treatment has been initiated.<\/p>\n Strep Throat<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child may return to school 24 hours after treatment has started and when fever is no longer present.<\/p>\n Vomiting<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child should be kept home for 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting without the use of any medication.<\/p>\n Whooping Cough<\/strong><\/p>\n Should I keep my child home from school? Yes. Child should not come to school until 5 days of appropriate treatment or he\/she will need to be out of school for 21 days after the onset of symptoms.<\/p>\n Rashes<\/strong> can be caused by many things, a few of which may be contagious. A sudden appearance of a rash over any part of the body with an unknown cause and accompanied by fever or other symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor.<\/p>\n Generally, your child may return to school when he\/she is free of signs and symptoms of illness.<\/p>\n If your child comes to school sick or becomes ill at school, we will call you and ask that you pick up your child immediately. If we cannot reach you, we will call your emergency contact person to pick up your child. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION IS ALWAYS UP TO DATE. If there is an extreme emergency regarding your child 911 will be called. We will make every effort to contact you.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n The Kent County Health Department provides free vision and hearing screening for children from three years old through high school. For more information, visit the Health Department’s website, linked here.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n Reproductive Health Advisory Board Recommendations Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n Why was a reproductive health advisory board convened in 2017?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n An advisory board is required by the state of Michigan for public school districts who provide reproductive health education classes. Such an advisory board has not been convened for approximately 12 years. In reviewing the laws related to the teaching of this content, it was found that the District was out of compliance in several aspects, including:<\/p>\n Why is there a proposed change to the delivery of the middle school health mini-course?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Health class is not an academic requirement at the middle school level in Michigan. However, districts are required to teach about dangerous communicable diseases at least once each year at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In our district, the state-required content related to HIV\/STI and reproductive health has been offered as an elective mini-course<\/strong> to eighth graders. In the eighth grade mini-course guest presenters were teaching 100% of the course rather than a certified health-endorsed teacher. This puts the District at risk of fines and sanctions. At the elementary and high school levels, HIV\/STI and reproductive health lessons have been, and continue to be, provided by certified District staff.<\/p>\n The state of Michigan requires that a certified health-endorsed teacher is responsible for all instruction. If a guest presenter is utilized, the certified health-endorsed teacher must teach more than half of the curriculum. <\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In order to bring the middle school level course into compliance with requirements of Michigan Compiled Laws, the District needed to take action. The District will now ensure that teachers who have a teaching degree in health education and who are certified to teach in the state of Michigan provide the instruction for this curriculum.<\/p>\n As with all other courses throughout our K-12 program, credentialed teachers who have earned the appropriate teaching endorsements will ensure this content is taught in an age-appropriate manner using best instructional practices.<\/p>\n For more information on guest presenters, please see the Michigan Department of Education Guest Presenter Policy<\/a> memo.<\/p>\n Why did the advisory board recommend new curriculum resources for approval by the Board of Education?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Michigan\u2019s model health curriculum, the Michigan Model for Health<\/em><\/a>, is the recommended resource for use at middle and high school levels to be taught by certified teachers. This curriculum is aligned with the Michigan health standards and was developed specifically for use in Michigan public schools. It is used by the vast majority of school districts in Michigan and is used in numerous states throughout our country. This resource will be utilized to develop the required lessons in middle and high school. Additionally, Making A Difference<\/em><\/a>, a resource used by Kent Intermediate School District, is also recommended to support development of general and special education health lessons.<\/p>\n If these resources are approved, will the content of the courses change significantly?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The lessons will continue to align with the Michigan grade level health standards. The state of Michigan requires that abstinence is the only 100% effective protection against unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease and infection. All related lessons at the middle and high school levels will be abstinence-based.<\/p>\n
\n3787 Leonard Ave. NE
\nGrand Rapids, MI 49525<\/p>\n
\nFax: (616) 493-8636<\/p>\n
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