Safety Preparedness

​​Immunizations for every student are monitored by the Wiseburn District Health Clerks and are in compliance with the requirements of the State of California.

Click the hyperlink or image below for the California Department of Public Health's guide to immunization required for school entry. 

• Immunization Guidance Public Letter - June 2020
• Immunization Public Letter - August 2019
• Carta Pública de Vacunación - Agosto 2019
   

The State of California has a law requiring health examinations for children entering first grade. The health examination can occur 18 months prior to or 90 days after starting the 1^st grade.

The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) through the Child Health and Disability Program (CHDP) has a no-cost health exam program available for eligible children.

More information may be found at: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov

You can print out the “Report of Health Examination for School Entry” by clicking on the image below. 

Vision and hearing screenings are conducted in compliance with the California Education Code. They are completed on campus in kindergarten, 2nd grade, 5th grade, and 8th grade. Parents are notified by letter only when their student did not pass the screening.

A child’s health is critical to their academic success. Research has shown that children with health coverage are less likely to be absent from school due to illness and are more prepared to attend school ready to learn. 

This image has instructions on how to access Medi-Cal and Covered California by phone or email. Covered California offers free, local, in-person enrollment help, online chat, and telephone assistance in thirteen languages as well as for the hearing-impaired.
 

Health Insurance Letter to Parents (English)
Health Insurance Letter to Parents (Spanish)

All In For Health Flyer

Medications

Prescription and over-the-counter medications needed during the school day require a physician-signed Medication Authorization Form. Authorization forms must be renewed each school year.

Medications are kept in a locked cabinet in the Health Office. Mature, upper-grade students may be allowed to carry life-saving medications (such as an Epi-pen and inhalers) with parent and physician authorization.

For more information, please read this Medication Letter (English & Spanish) issued by the Wiseburn Unified School District Director of Child and Psychological Services.

Students found to be carrying any medications– prescription, non-prescription, or recreational– without proper authorization will be subject to disciplinary action.

Allergic Reactions

If your student has a known allergy requiring an Epinephrine pen, you will need to provide the school with the pen along with a Medication Authorization Form completed by their physician. Authorization forms must be renewed each school year. The stock Epinephrine pens do not accompany students on any field trips.

Asthma

The Wiseburn Unified School District has students who are diagnosed with Asthma. We follow an assessment tool and protocol as a standard guideline to ensure the proper care is provided to our students with Asthma. Students who have additional health concerns or needs have an individualized health treatment plan created and followed to ensure they receive the best care when treating their Asthma symptoms.

Students in grades 4-8 with fast-acting inhalers may carry them with a physician-signed Medication Authorization Form for self-administration. Younger students will have their inhalers kept in a locked cabinet in the school’s Health Office and will be monitored/assisted when they use them.

Seizures

The district nurse and health specialist at the school site need to be informed of all students who have a history of seizures. Students who have an active seizure disorder may have an individualized health treatment plan.

We follow a standardized seizure treatment protocol in the event a student has a seizure at school.

For students who have Diastat prescribed, the Medication Authorization Form will need to be completed by the physician and parent.

First Aid is given as needed for incidents that happen at school. If a student is ill or if an accident occurs at school, students are to notify a teacher or school employee. Should the student require further care, a parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up their child.

Please ensure that your contact information is kept current by connect with your school site front office. Students must be signed out through the school office. Students of any grade are not allowed to walk home outside of school hours.

If a student has been ill, they must stay at home until they have not had a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting for 24 hours. Students must be fever free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.

A student with an unknown rash or reddened eye (a sign of "pink eye") will be sent home.

Students must be symptom-free and/or have a physician's note stating that they are non-contagious in order to return to school.

A physician's note with instructions for school is required for students who return:

1. After serious illness lasting 3 or more days

2. After surgery

3. After hospitalization

4. With restrictions from Physical Education (PE) participation

5. Requiring any assistance prescribed by a physician to help with student mobility (e.g., crutches, cast, wheelchair, splint, bandage, etc.)

6. Epi-pens on campus*

*A Medication Authorization Form signed by a physician is required for students with a prescription for a personal Epi-Pen.

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs.

Signs and symptoms of flu

People who have the flu can feel some or all of these signs and symptoms:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (very tired)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than in adults.

Please remind your child to wash their hands often and cover their coughs.

Remember to keep them home when they have one or more of the following:

• A fever of 100˚F or higher before taking medication to reduce the fever
• Vomiting or persistent diarrhea in the last 24 hours
• Excessive tiredness or lack of appetite
• Intense headache, sore throat, body aches, chills, or earache
• Persistent, productive cough, keeping them up at night

Your child may return to school after having had the flu when:

• Fever is not present for 24 hours without medication
• No vomiting or diarrhea during the last 24 hours
• If given antibiotics, your child has taken them for at least 24 hours
• Appetite and energy level have returned to normal

Head lice are a significant nuisance, however, they do not transmit disease to humans. Historically, head lice policies in schools emphasized that a child infested with head lice could not return to school until zero nits (lice eggs) were found in their hair ("no-nit" policy). We now know that there is no evidence that a no-nit policy prevents or shortens the length of outbreaks. This evidence aligns with the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association of School Nurses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the California Department of Public Health.

Wiseburn Unified School District has recently developed a new head lice policy which is in alignment with these research-based findings. The essential components of this policy are:

• Early detection of head lice infestations through routine screenings by parents and/or caregivers

• Treatment of children found to have active/live lice

• Distribution of educational material to school staff and parents on head lice, nit combing, and treatment

Detection

Parents are responsible for detecting head lice on their student(s). Symptoms include excessive itching of the scalp and/or frequent scratching. If head lice are detected at school, the parents will be notified, and the child will stay in school until the end of the school day. Parents will be given information on how to treat head lice.

Treatment

The student must be treated for head lice that same day and can return to school the next morning. Before returning to class, the student will first need to be examined by the school nurse, health clerk, or office staff, to ensure they no longer have active/live head lice. The student can return to class if no live lice are found. If active lice are found the following day, the child will be sent home as this indicates that treatment was not effective or completed.

Please remember that you need to be diligent with using a nit comb to remove nits. The best way to get rid of head lice is to comb their hair every day with a nit comb for two weeks. This will ensure all nits and any live lice are removed.

Students who sustain a head injury while at school will be assessed for signs and symptoms of a concussion. The following signs may be observed by school staff or parents:

• Appears dazed or stunned
• Is confused about events
• Answers questions slowly
• Repeats questions
• Unable to recall events prior to the hit, bump, or fall
• Loses consciousness
• Shows behavior or personality changes
• Forgets class schedule or assignments

Students may report the following symptoms:

• Difficulty thinking clearly or concentrating
• Difficulty remembering
• Feeling sluggish, tired, fatigued
• Feeling hazy, foggy, or groggy
• Complaining of headache or “pressure” in the head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Blurry or double-vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Numbness or tingling sensations 
• Does not “feel right”
• Is emotional, irritable, nervous, or sad
• Feeling sleepy or drowsy; sleeps more than usual
• Having trouble falling asleep or sleeping less than usual

If staff suspects the child to have a concussion, or if any of the above signs/symptoms are present, the parent/guardian will be contacted, and arrangements will be made for the student to go home. Medical follow-up may be advised.

*If a concussion is diagnosed by the physician, a letter from the physician with instructions for returning to school will need to be submitted. Students may have activity restrictions that teachers and staff will need to be aware of.
 

 At Wiseburn Unified School District, we encourage all staff and community members to participate in CPR trainings.

Automatic External Defibrillators, or AEDs, are machines that can be used in conjunction with CPR training. WUSD has mounted Automated External Defibrillators in the Multi-Purpose Rooms and Health Offices at all elementary school sites. Wiseburn Middle School has an AED in the School Gym as well.

Additionally, WUSD has purchased similar Philips HeartStart units for all schools. They are in white boxes that will alarm when opened (the alarm is at the unit only and will not alert the office). Included in the box are the AED, a CPR mask, and instructions. Elementary schools have pediatric pads (weighing <60 pounds) that are also in the white box. The Philips HeartStart will give verbal prompts for each step during use. Keep in mind: the AED is to remain at the school. It is not to go on field trips or to the hospital if used.

Below are step-by-step instructions for using an Automated External Defibrillator. Please use the AED in conjunction with CPR training. All AED units in WUSD have audio prompts that will also talk you through the process.

1. POWER ON the AED (voice prompts instruct the rescuer).
2. ATTACH electrode pads to the victim’s bare chest.
3. “CLEAR” the victim and allow the AED to ANALYZE the heart rhythm.
4. If SHOCK is advised, “Clear” the victim and push the SHOCK button when prompted, and resume CPR. If no SHOCK is advised, leave pads on the victim and begin CPR.
5. After 2 minutes of CPR, the AED will reanalyze the rhythm. Follow the prompts to continue treating the victim.
6. Assist EMS personnel as directed until they take complete charge of the victim. The victim will be transported by EMS personnel.
7. Report the incident to the school administrator as soon as possible.

 To maintain the health and safety of our students, staff, and community amid the continuous threat of COVID-19 and other viruses, Wiseburn Unified School District employs comprehensive health and safety protocols that draw upon the best practices, recommendations, and required directives of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH). Please view our dedicated COVID-19 page to learn about our plans for safe and healthy practices for in-person services and learning. 

Wiseburn Unified School District staff are trained to provide for the safety of students, staff, and visitors during times of emergency. Emergency preparedness includes fire, and earthquake drills that happen at regular times during the school year. All alarms are treated as real.

In the event of an alarm, all staff, students, and visitors are required to complete an orderly and safe evacuation from the classrooms and building. Staff and students will meet in pre-assigned areas, and will remain there until all students are accounted for and instructed to return to the building or move to a safer area.

In the case of a major emergency– such as a significant earthquake or fire– parents, guardians, and other family members, should report to your student’s school, where you will be given information related to where you can pick up your student. Children will be with their classroom and by grade level. Trained personnel will be at the gate to assist you and focus on ensuring all students are safe and accounted for. Children will be released only to those names that appear on the registration form. This is why informing your school and district staff of any contact and registration information changes is critical.

*Please notify the school office immediately of any changes in address, phone numbers, employment, or emergency information. Should an emergency arise, we must be able to reach you.

Our staff is trained to provide for the safety of students, staff, and visitors during times of potentially dangerous intruders. Emergency preparedness lockdown drills are held at regular intervals during the school year. In the event of an intruder on campus, students and staff will shelter in place until it is safe for them to move about campus.

Once it is safe to release students, parents, guardians, and other family members, should report to your student’s school, where you will be given information related to where you can pick up your student.

Trained personnel will be at the gate to assist you and focus on ensuring all students are safe and accounted for. Children will be released only to those names that appear on the registration form. This is why informing your school and district staff of any contact and registration information changes is critical.

*Please notify the school office immediately of any changes in address, phone numbers, employment, or emergency information. Should an emergency arise, we must be able to reach you.

School volunteers who have “frequent or prolonged” contact with students must: 

1. submit an Adult-Tuberculosis (TB) Risk Assessment Questionnaire to the Health Office at their child’s school, or 
2. have a TB skin test performed by their medical provider every 4 years and submit the results to the Health Office at their child’s school.

Staff must submit an Adult-Tuberculosis (TB) Risk Assessment Questionnaire or have a TB skin test performed every 4 years. Staff may visit their health care provider for the TB Risk Assessment or contact the Wiseburn District School Nurse, Ellen Russ, for completion of the form.