Health Office
The Health Office is located on the back side of the administration building. We are open every school day 7:30am to 4pm. Stop in anytime if you have questions, concerns, or any information you would like us to be aware of in regards to your student’s health. We are here for your students should they become ill or injured when at school, but please remember that the best way to keep our campus healthy is to keep your students at home if they are sick.
You may contact us at (818) 767-8382, x240, or e-mail us via our contact page.
Health office policies are addressed in the student handbook. More details of specific medical concerns can be found below.
- Students who do not feel well, regardless of symptoms shall not attend school.
- Village Christian School has a policy that every family is to have a plan for the prompt pickup of their student from school in the event of injury or illness. The Health Office cannot provide long-term care for students waiting to go home. Students need to be picked up within 30 minutes from the time contact is made. Alternative plans should be in place in case a parent or guardian is not immediately available.
- School personnel, including the school nurse, are empowered to render first aid and emergency care only. They may not diagnose. Parents are contacted if the services of a physician appear to be necessary.
- Students must be re-admitted through the Health Office for the following: injuries involving crutches or sutures; contagious diseases (chicken pox, measles, pink eye, etc.); PE excuses. All students returning with casts, braces, sutures, or using crutches must have a physician’s note releasing them to return to school.
- Communicable illness (strep throat, chicken pox, pink eye, mononucleosis, any unusual rash, head lice, scabies, or other illnesses) must be reported to the Health Office even if the student has been treated and presents no symptoms.
The Health Office distributes PE excuses to appropriate staff via email notification. A parent’s note will be adequate for up to one day. A physician’s note is required if an excuse is needed for more than one day.
All prescription medications to be taken during the school day must be brought to the Health Office and administered by the school nurse or another designated adult. All prescriptions must have a physician's written order as well as a parent's written permission to be taken at school.
If a parent desires their student to self-carry a prescription medication, they must contact the Health Office for approval paperwork, obtain private medical doctors’ approval, and sign their parental approval. Once paperwork is submitted to the Health Office, the appropriate school principal must approve, then the student will be called into the Health Office to review self-carry rules with the school nurse.
Any student who is found to be sharing, or using medication inappropriately will be called into the School Office, or Health Sffice, parents will be notified, and they will have the privilege of self-carry revoked.
All over-the-counter medicines to administered by the Health Office must have parent approval.
For parental pre-approval of medication administration, please complete the Medication Authorization form.
If your student has severe allergies to any food or substances, the school must have a doctor’s written emergency plan on file in the health office, along with medication ordered, such as Benadryl and/or Epi-Pen.
Pink eye (conjunctivitis) is an inflammation of the clear membrane that covers the eye and the inner part of the eyelid. It is a common condition, and easily treatable and usually causes no long-term damage.
Pink eye causes the inner lining of the eyelids and sclera (the white part of the eye) to become alarmingly red. The child may wake up with discharge or crustiness in their eye(s). Usually, it feels like there is an irritation in the eye.
Allergies, bacteria or a virus may cause pink eye. Viral and bacterial pink eye are both highly contagious and spread very easily. Since most cases of pink eye are viral, for which there is usually no medical treatment, preventing its spread is important. Good hand-washing and avoiding touching eyes is the best way to prevent spread.
Only a physician can diagnose viral versus bacterial conjunctivitis. Below is a chart for reference only. It is not intended to replace evaluation by a doctor.
If your pink eye is caused by a common viral infection and no other complications occur, then your eyes should clear up within a few days to two weeks. Pink eye also can be caused by bacterial conjunctivitis, which — even with treatment such as prescription antibiotic eye drops — can last up to a month or longer.
Pink eye (conjunctivitis) generally remains contagious as long as your child is experiencing tearing and matted eyes. When tearing and matted eyes are no longer present, it's appropriate for a child to return to school or child care. If your doctor determines it to be bacterial conjunctivitis, and prescribes antibiotic drops, they can return to school the next day.
New California State laws in regards to immunizations are effective July 2019.
All students entering PK-12th grades are required to have all of the following immunizations prior to the start of school:
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, & Pertussis (DTaP, DTP, Tdap, or Td) – 5 doses total
- Polio – 4 doses total
- Hepatitis B – 3 doses total
- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) – 2 doses total
- Varicella (Chickenpox) – 2 doses total
Students advancing to 7th grade are also required to have the following vaccinations:
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) —1 dose (Whooping cough booster usually given at 11 years and up)
- Varicella (Chickenpox) — 2 doses (Usually given at ages 12 months and 4-6 years)
No shots, no records, no school is a good way to remember this requirement.
All students are required to be in full compliance PRIOR to the first day of school. Students who are not in compliance will not be allowed to attend classes. If you believe your child is in compliance, but they do not have all of the above vaccinations, please call the Health Office to discuss in person.
If you have not yet submitted a copy of your student’s immunization records, please do so as soon as possible. If your student is in need of some vaccinations, please schedule a doctor’s appointment, then submit the documentation. Remember to keep your child’s yellow Immunization card up to date, and provide a copy to the Health Office and time there is an update on vaccinations.
Click here to read the official California Department of Health immunization requirements.
Immunizations are available from your private medical doctor, clinics, pharmacies, and through the LA County Immunization Program. The nearest LA County Immunization Program location is:
Glendale Health Center
501 North Glendale Avenue
Glendale, CA 91206
818-500-5762
by appointment only
Village Christian follows the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Association of School Nurses on head lice. When children are determined to have lice (live bugs) or nits (eggs), the parents will be called and notified of our findings.
Professional or home treatment is required prior to the student returning to school. When you have completed treatment, and no lice/nits are seen, a parent or designated adult MUST accompany the student to the Health Office the morning of their return. The Health Office with do a head check to determine if the child is cleared to return to school. Once returned to school, the Health Office will do a follow-up check ten days later.
There are a lot of great resources on the internet about lice. Here is a link to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) with a detailed explanation.
Professional treatment is often the most effective way to get rid of lice/nits. To find a lice treatment business in your area, we recommend an internet search such as “lice treatment centers in (insert your zip code).”
- Please stay home if you are sick, and test for COVID. This is the most effective way to keep our campus healthy! If the initial test is negative, but symptoms persist, please test again prior to returning to school. If the test is positive, please follow the LA County Isolation protocols: COVID-19 Isolation
- Please notify the Health Office of all COVID positive tests.
- If anyone has had close contact with a COVID-positive person, please follow the LA County Quarantine protocols: COVID-19 Quarantine
- Please provide this link to any close contacts you/your student may have had during the time there were infectious (48 hrs prior to onset of symptoms, or from the positive test if no symptoms).
- We have a limited number of COVID test kits available to those who request them.