Students who demonstrate signs and symptoms of illness or a possible communicable disease should be referred to the school clinic for further assessment. Those with an elevated temperature of 100 degrees or above or those who vomit or have diarrhea must be isolated and sent home. The student must be fever free without fever-reducing medication for 24 hours before he/she can be allowed back to school. Those excluded due to vomiting or diarrhea must also be free of symptoms without the use of preventative medications before being allowed back to school. (Administrative Regulation FFAD)

Katy ISD follows the Texas Department of State Health Services recommendation for immunization compliance in order for a student to attend school. The law requires that all students be as up-to-date as medically feasible in order to attend classes. The immunization vaccine requirements for each grade level are listed on the Katy ISD website. Exemptions to the immunization requirements are allowable on an individual basis for medical contraindications, reasons of conscience-including religious belief, and active duty with the armed forces of the United States. For further information, visit the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Short term ( 15 days or less) and long term (15 days or more) medications are sometimes prescribed for students to be given during the school day.  In such cases, regulations governing administration of medication during school hours must be strictly adhered to by school personnel.  Any natural and/or homeopathic products, not FDA approved, will not be dispensed by school personnel.

Please notify the nurse if your child has any new allergies or other medical changes that arise during the school year. It is also important to keep your contact information, phone numbers, and emergency contacts current.  Please feel free to contact the campus nurse with any concerns or questions. Thank you!

If you need help with medical resources such as vision care, medical supplies, or medication, please reach out. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me. Hoping for a safe, happy, and HEALTHY year for everyone.

Please pack an extra set of clothing, including underwear and socks, in a plastic bag for your child in their backpack. It is comforting to have your own clothes in case of an accident.  This may include bathroom accidents, spills or mud, soiled clothing, etc. 

Please encourage your child to start each day with a healthy breakfast.  Look at the lunch menu with your child and encourage healthy choices.  Remind your child that food, including snacks, is not to be shared at school. Specific seating is in place in the cafeteria for our students with food allergies.  Please ensure that your child has a good night's sleep before coming to school.

LUNCH MENU

Allergies- In response to the increase in the number of children diagnosed with food allergies, students may not share food at school.  

***THIS IS A PEANUT-FREE CAMPUS***

To ensure the health and safety of all students, any students who exhibit VOMITING, DIARRHEA, or a FEVER >100.0 F, must be excluded from school. 

Students may return to school as follows:

• Free of fever (<100.0F) for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

• Food and liquids have been tolerated for at least 24 hours without vomiting and/or diarrhea, and without the use of medication to relieve symptoms.

• Students diagnosed with a contagious illness that is being treated with prescription medication must complete a minimum of 24 hours of the prescribed medication dosage prior to returning to school.

Please contact me if your child has been diagnosed with a contagious condition such as strep throat, chickenpox, pink eye, impetigo, ringworm, flu, or has vomiting and/or diarrhea.

Parents, please call the school at (281) 237-2000 anytime your child is absent from school.

TIPS FOR PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF FLU

• Avoid close contact with others who are sick or are beginning to display symptoms
• Stay home if you feel sick and see a doctor as soon as possible
• A fever of 100.0 must remain home and stay home for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissues when coughing or sneezing
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with antibacterial soap to kill and avoid spreading germs.
• Avoid touching the eyes, nose, and mouth as germs and bacteria can enter this way and cause illness.
• Get your flu vaccine

InfoSnap is an ANNUAL update that should be done at the beginning of every school year.

It is VITAL so that contact information such as phone numbers, parent email addresses, parent/guardian, and emergency contact information is current. It is extremely important that these are up to date in case your student is sick or if there is an emergency. 

Please ensure this information is accurate and up to date, should I need to contact you.

If a student has been injured and must refrain from strenuous physical activity, it is the parent's responsibility to send a note to the school to excuse them from PE or recess. This may be a parent's note or a doctor's note. It must include start and end dates. 

It is a good habit to check your children regularly for lice.  Watch for frequent scratching of the scalp, brown or white eggs (nits) on the hair shaft that may look like dandruff but is not easily brushed away, and live lice that are brown and move very quickly.  Encourage your child not to share combs, brushes, hair decorations, or hats.  If you think someone in your family has head lice, it's best to check with everyone in the family and notify friends or relatives who may have been in contact as well.  Please contact the campus nurse with any questions, or if you have treated your child for head lice.

Head Lice are not a public threat; they do not carry communicable diseases.  The Texas Department of State Health Services does not track cases of head lice in schools. Currently, the district recognizes that an active head lice infestation may create a difficult learning environment for the affected student(s) and as a result, the district maintains a program to identify and eliminate live head lice.

Head checks are made whenever symptoms are noted to be present.  Parents are notified immediately if their children have evidence of live head lice.  Parents are encouraged to promptly pick up their child and treat the condition.  If the parent cannot come for his/her child, the telephone number of a relative, neighbor, or friend who can come must be on file in the school office.  Parents should contact their medical provider for methods of treatment.

A parent should accompany the child to school upon his return.  The child must report to the clinic before going to class and is not cleared to return to class until their head has been rechecked by the nurse and found to be free of live lice.  If any live lice are found in the child's hair, he/she will be sent home until no evidence of live lice exists.  Nit removal, though tedious, is the most effective way to eliminate lice.

Thank you for your help and cooperation, so that your child's education will not be interrupted.  The most effective screening occurs at home.

Vision & Hearing

Grades Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, and 5th are screened annually in the first semester for vision and hearing.  Any student in grades 2 and 4 who did not attend a Texas school previously may also be screened.  If your child has been or will be screened during the school year, and you do not wish them to be screened at school, please contact the nurse.  Parents may also request screening if they have concerns about their child's vision or hearing.  Parents will be contacted by the campus nurse if their child has failed the screening and a referral for a professional exam will be sent home.

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment 

Acanthosis nigricans is a skin condition that signals high insulin levels in the body.  It is believed that higher than normal insulin levels in the bloodstream cause growth of darkened skin on parts of the body (neck, knuckles, elbows, knees, groin, or stomach).  These markings can help identify persons who run the risk of developing diabetes in the future.  The campus nurse will do a risk assessment screening of 3rd-grade students, looking at the neck, during the second semester.  Parents will be notified by phone and a written referral letter that recommends a physician's evaluation.

Spinal Screenings

Katy ISD will do spinal screenings in the fall semester of the current school year.

State law says that students must be screened by trained and certified screeners. To do this, girls will be screened twice, once in the 5th grade, and again in the 7th grade. Boys will be screened once in the 8th grade.

Catching a spinal problem early can make the treatment much easier. Not treating spinal problems can lead to serious health problems.

The school will send you a letter if your child does not pass the screening. The letter will tell you how to follow up with a doctor.

This screening is not a medical exam. Your child still needs to see a doctor for checkups.

If you have any questions regarding the spinal screening of your child, you may contact your campus nurse.​