Lewisburg Area School District Policies	Printable version
203 Communicable Disease and Immunization 203. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE AND IMMUNIZATION In order to safeguard the school community from the spread of certain communicable diseases, the Board requires that established policy and administrative regulations be followed by students, parents/guardians and district staff. Immunization All students shall be immunized against specific diseases in accordance with state law and regulations, unless specifically exempt for religious or medical reasons. A certificate of immunization shall be maintained as part of the health record for each student, as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. A student who has not been immunized in accordance with state regulations shall not be admitted to or permitted to attend district schools, unless exempted for medical or religious reasons or provisionally admitted by the Superintendent or designee. A student shall be exempt from immunization requirements whose parent/guardian objects in writing to such immunization on religious grounds or whose physician certifies that the student's physical condition contraindicates immunization. Monitoring of immunization requirements shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent or designee and the school nurses. Students attending child care group settings located in a school, a pre-kindergarten program or an early intervention program operated by the district shall be immunized in accordance with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) standards. The Superintendent or designee shall: 1. Annually review state standards for immunization and direct the responsible district personnel accordingly. 2. Ensure that parents/guardians are informed prior to a student's admission to school of the requirements for immunization, the requisite proof of immunization, exemption available for religious or medical reasons, and means by which such exemptions may be claimed. 3. Report immunization data on the required form to the Department of Health by October 15 of each year. Communicable Diseases The Board authorizes that students who have been diagnosed by a physician or are suspected of having a disease by the school nurse shall be excluded from school for the period indicated by regulations of the Department of Health for certain specified diseases and infectious conditions. The school nurse shall report the presence of suspected communicable diseases to the appropriate local health authority, as required by the Department of Health. The school nurse shall report, to the local morbidity reporting office (district office or local health department), any unusual increase in the number of absentees among school children. The Superintendent or designee shall direct that health guidelines and universal precautions designed to minimize the transmission of communicable diseases be implemented in district schools. Instruction regarding prevention of communicable and life threatening diseases shall be provided by the schools in the educational program for all levels, in accordance with state regulations. Parents/Guardians shall be informed of and be provided opportunities during school hours to review all curriculum materials used in instruction relative to communicable and life threatening diseases. Procedures Students: 1. The school physician shall make a preliminary recommendation to the district as to the health risks associated with the diagnosed disease. 2. If in the opinion of the school physician, the admission or continuous attendance of the student in question poses a potential health risk to others, a panel (see item 5 below) shall be convened to review the medical history and assess the specific health risks of the identified student to the school community. 3. Prior to the panel's assessment and recommendation as to the health risks, the Superintendent may temporarily exclude the student from school or a specific school program after receiving the school physician's recommendation and consulting with the student's or guardian(s) and personal physician. Homebound instruction may be provided as per policy provisions. 4. The Superintendent will determine which school staff, if any, will share information about the "infected" individual and be involved on a need-to-know basis. These persons will be required to preserve the confidentiality of information regarding the patient. Records must be kept confidential. The number of people informed of the "infected" individual's status will be kept to the minimum required to assure proper care and supervision of the individual and other members of the school community. 5. The Superintendent shall name an administrator to coordinate the district's response to the issue. The administrator shall convene the panel. The panel shall consist of the coordinating administrator, school physician, school nurse, the student's family physician, parent(s)/guardian(s), and appropriate health officials with access to experts in communicable diseases. 6. The panel shall assess the potential for transmission of the disease of the school community and the risks associated with potential infection. 7. Within ten (10) school days, the panel shall make a recommendation to the Superintendent regarding the attendance of the student. 8. The Superintendent shall, after review of the facts of the case with the school solicitor, promptly make a final decision on attendance or alternate placement of the student. 9. The panel, at the request of the coordinating administrator, shall meet periodically to assess the recommendations as to the student's attendance at and participation in school and/or school activities. Employees: According to district practices and regulations, all employees so excluded shall be entitled to pay benefits and other compensation during the period of their exclusion up until the time step "8" of the following procedure is completed. 1. The school physician shall make a preliminary recommendation to the district as to the health risks associated with the diagnosed disease. 2. If, in the opinion of the school physician, the continued employment of the employee in question poses a potential health risk to others, a panel (see item 5 below) shall be convened to review the medical history and assess the specific health risks of the identified employee to the school community. 3. Prior to the panel's assessment and recommendation as to health risks, and after any appropriate releases have been signed, the Superintendent may temporarily exclude the employee from the school work place after receiving the school physician's recommendation and consulting with the employee's personal physician. 4. The Superintendent will determine which school staff, if any, will share information about the "infected" individual and be involved on a need-to-know basis. These persons will be required to preserve the confidentiality of information regarding the patient. Records must be kept confidential. The number of people informed of the "infected" individual's status will be kept to the minimum required to assure proper care and supervision of the individual and other members of the school community. 5. The Superintendent shall name an administrator to coordinate the district's response to the issue. The administrator shall convene the panel. The panel shall consist of the coordinating administrator, school physician, school nurse, the employee's family physician, and appropriate health officials with access to experts in the area of communicable diseases. 6. The panel shall assess the potential for transmission of the disease to the school community and the risks associated with potential infection. 7. Within ten (10) school days the panel shall make a recommendation to the Superintendent regarding the employment of the employee. 8. The Superintendent shall, after review of the facts of the case with the school solicitor, promptly make a final decision on reassignment or reinstatement of the employee. 9. The panel, at the request of the coordinating administrator, shall meet periodically to assess the recommendations as to the employee's status. Health Records A comprehensive health record shall be maintained for each student enrolled in the district. The record shall include the results of required tests, measurements, screenings, regular and special examinations, and medical questionnaires. All health records shall be confidential, and their contents shall be divulged only when necessary for the health of the student or to a physician at the written request of the parent/guardian. References: School Code – 24 P.S. Sec. 1303a, 1402, 1409 State Board of Education Regulations – 22 PA Code Sec. 4.4, 4.29, 11.20 State Department of Health Regulations – 28 PA Code Sec. 23.81 et seq., 27.1, 27.2, 27.23, 27.71, 27.72, 27.77 Board Policy – 105.1, 105.2, 201, 204, 209