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Health Office

Our Health Office team collaborates with educational and support services within the school to promote student health, classroom learning, and well-being.

Our goal is to assist students to be self-sufficient in managing their health care within age-appropriate and developmental expectations, thereby preparing students for life.
This is accomplished by:

  • Promoting student and staff well-being.
  • Providing and assisting in first aid.
  • Providing health condition education and management.
  • Encouraging self-care and self-advocacy.
  • Assisting with identifying and obtaining health resources, if needed.
 
We are here to help support your child’s health and wellness. Please contact the Health Office to let us know of any health concerns or medical conditions that your child may have. Remember, if your child is sick, please keep them home.
 
Please report an absence anytime your child is out of school due to illness: 
 
Email attendance@beaconacademy.com  or call the attendance line at 763-546-9999 Ext.400.
 
Include:

  • Student’s first and last name,
  • grade and teacher,
  • symptoms and/or diagnosis, and
  • when symptoms started. 
 
  • If a student has a fever of 100.0 degrees or more, the student must stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without any fever-reducing medication.
  • If a student has vomited or had diarrhea, the student must stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
  • If a student has a rash or open sores, please check with your family physician before sending the child to school. If you send your child to school with a rash or open sores, the Health Office must have a note, signed by a physician, stating that the student is not contagious.
  • If a student has influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, or a respiratory infection, they must remain home until 24 hours after the fever is gone (without fever-reducing medication) and your child is healthy enough for routine activities.
  • If a student has strep throat, they must stay home until 12 hours after antibiotic treatment begins and the fever is gone.

 

*If you would not want your child exposed to any symptoms that your child may be exhibiting or if they feel too ill to benefit from attending classes, do not send him/her/them to school.

 

When a student has a diagnosed condition (i.e., diabetes, asthma, seizures, heart conditions or severe allergies), it is necessary for the parents to provide this information at the beginning of each school year on the student health information form. By informing the health office of the student’s health condition, we can work together to manage their care during the school day. Parents, the student and the school nurse will collaborate to individualize a plan to meet the student’s specific health needs. Any restriction or limitations at school will be included. Students’ health information will be shared with appropriate school personnel, keeping in mind confidentiality.

Please fill out the appropriate health questionnaire in addition to the student health information form. 

If your child requires medication at school, the MD Orders for Medication Administration at School form must be filled out and signed by a physician in addition to the Parent Authorization for Medication Administration  form. These forms can be found under the medications tab.
Below you will find the forms that the health office will need to have on file for your students medical condition. Forms must be turned in to the health office, before classes begin, at the beginning of each school year OR before a transferring student’s first day of classes. 
 

Allergy:

 
Allergy Action Plan – This form should be on file for every student with a severe allergy. It must be updated and signed by the doctor every school year. 
 
 
**If your student needs a lactose reduced milk or a complete food substitution due to a diet allergy, please contact our Food Services Coordinator at extension 1125.
 

Asthma:


If your child has asthma, please complete these health forms and turn them in to the health office. These forms are required to be completed every school year and need to be turned in at the start of the school year. Some clinics will have their own action plan, which will be accepted by Beacon Academy. 
 
 

Concussion/Head Injury:


If your student was recently diagnosed with a concussion, head injury and/or a TBI and is needing accommodations while in school, please provide the health office with the accommodations from a medical provider. 
 
 

Diabetes:


If your child has diabetes, please complete these health forms and turn them in to the health office. These forms are required to be completed every school year and need to be turned in at the start of the school year. Some clinics will have their own action plan, which will be accepted by Beacon Academy. 
 
 

Seizures:


If your child has a seizure disorder, please complete theses health forms and turn them in to the health office. These forms are required to be completed every school year and need to be turned in at the start of the school year. Some clinics will have their own action plan, which will be accepted by Beacon Academy. 
 

Beacon Academy will continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) regarding COVID-19 during the 2023-24 school year. COVID testing is recommended for individuals with COVID symptoms. Tests are currently available at school. Students/staff testing positive for COVID-19 should stay home a full 5 days and return to school on day 6 if their symptoms have improved and they have been fever free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medication. They should wear a mask through day 10. 

Calculating return to school date:

  • Day 0 is the first day of symptom onset or when tested for COVID, if asymptomatic. Day 1 is the first full day after symptoms developed or when the test was collected. 
  • Date of symptom onset is considered “day zero”
  • Isolate a full 5 days
  • Return to school/activity on day 6
  • Wear a mask through day 10 

 
Beacon Academy follows the guidelines developed by the Hennepin County Public Health Department when deciding if a student to be sent home or kept home from school. 
 
One of the goals of the health office is to assure a healthy environment. Many students and families are frequently concerned about when students should stay home or attend school. Below are information links to some common childhood illnesses. Call the health office at 763-546-9999 ext.1122 if you have questions about any other illness that is not listed. 
 
IS MY CHILD TOO SICK FOR SCHOOL? 
 
Please refer to the left side of this page for Beacon Academy’s Illness Policy & Guidelines.
 
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY CHILD BECOMES ILL AT SCHOOL?

  • If your child becomes ill at school and needs to go home, the health office staff will contact a parent/guardian. School policy states that students are to call from the health office, if ill, and not from their personal cell phones or the classroom.
  • It is important for parents/guardians to provide current contact information and update the school with any changes.
  • It is important for parents/guardians to provide 1-2 emergency contacts that can be called in the event parents/guardians cannot be reached.
  • Your child will  not be able to leave with any person who is not listed as an emergency contact unless verbal permission is obtained by the parent/guardian to allow an alternate person to pick up your student.
 
Injuries requiring first aid can sometimes happen in classrooms or on the playground. The health office will assess and administer first aid when necessary.
 
No student is allowed to leave the building for reason of illness or injury without first reporting to the health office.
 
If necessary, the health office will:

  • Contact the parent or guardian or designated emergency contact
  • Call 911 if a student requires more than first aid. If transported, the student’s family will be financially responsible for the care given.

Please update the health office if there are any changes to your emergency contact information.
 
If a student reports to the health office with a bump to the head, Beacon uses the CDC Heads Up checklist to help assess the injury. If there are no initial signs of concussion, the student will be sent back to class with an “I Bumped My Head” sticker. This signals to adults in the school to look out for symptoms related to the head bump that may arise throughout the school day. If any symptoms occur, they are sent back to the health office for further evaluation. Head injuries that include a bruise or bump will result in an email home to parents/guardians. Head injuries that include signs of concussion will result in the health office calling the parent/guardian. 
 
State Law (MS 121A.15) requires all students in elementary or secondary school be fully immunized or have a notarized statement exempting them from immunizations while enrolled in school. 
 
All students new to Beacon Academy must bring their immunization record or exemption record to school upon enrollment. 
 
Students will not be able to attend school if their immunizations are not in compliance in one of the following ways:
 
  • Copy of immunization record from a health clinic
  • A completed Mn Department of Health Immunization form (link below)
  • Copy of immunization record from another state
  • Copy of Immunizations from MIIC
  • Medical exemption form – signed by a health care provider (link below)
  • Non-medical exemption – signed by a parent/guardian and notarized (link below)
 
Any time your child is due for an immunization, updated records showing compliance must be submitted to your child’s school. Common times this occurs would be:
 
  • Any new student moving into the district
  • All students entering kindergarten (including their five-year-old shots)
  • All seventh graders who haven’t turned in their immunization records for middle school
 
 
It’s easy to get upset if you discover that your child has head lice. The thought of tiny parasites in your child’s hair can lead to panic and rushed decisions. Would you be less stressed if you knew hat head lice aren’t known to transmit diseases, and itching is the only major health issue they cause?
 
Anyone can get head lice and it is fairly common in school-aged children. They are not a sign of poor hygiene – they actually prefer clean heads. Lice are a nuisance, and it is aggravating for anyone to go through the process of treating and getting rid of them.
 
The most common way head lice spreads is by head-to-head contact.This means your child must have been touching heads with someone who has head lice. This may happen during sports, slumber parties or play time in or outside of school. Head lice cannot jump or fly. 
 
A less likely way, but possible, to get head lice is by sharing personal items that touch the head, such as hats, hair brushes and hair accessories (but it is good practice to refrain from sharing these items). Head lice need to have a blood meal every 12 to 24 hours, so they can’t survive away from a human head for longer than a day. 
 
Checking your child once a week will help in early detection and treatment. Lice go through a short lifecycle, however they reproduce quickly and can lay multiple eggs (nits) a day. Their quick reproduction and difficult detection can cause lice to be left unidentified for weeks or months.
It can take up to 2 weeks to get rid of Lice with proper treatment, this is due to the life cycle of Lice.
 
Because Head lice is common in childhood, families are encouraged to check their students regularly throughout the year. Please notify the school health office if your child has lice.
 
Beacon Academy follows recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control, Minnesota Department of Health, American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses regarding head lice school practices and keeping students in school.  Our goal is to minimize missed learning time due to head lice. 
 
Our school practice includes the following:

  • Your child will not be required to leave school due to head lice – A student with an active infestation has likely had an infestation for over one month.
  • You will be notified confidentially if your child has head lice. If health staff are unable to reach you by phone, a letter will go home with your child at the end of the school day.
  • Your child’s health information will be kept private.
  • A general ‘check your student for lice’ letter will go out to each student’s family in the affected classroom.
  • Treatment should begin at home, as soon as possible, once you are aware that your child has head lice.
  • Your child may return to school after the first treatment application.
  • Check everyone in the home if one person in the home has head lice. Your school health office can help by checking siblings at school, upon request 
 
Please note: Mass head lice screenings are not done at school.
 
If no live crawling insects are seen 3 weeks after the treatment, it’s safe to assume they are gone. Nits would have hatched by that time if they were alive. Nits and their shells may remain in the hair for some time but won’t be viable. many prescription head lice treatments target nits along with adult head lice. If you used a product like this, no combing is necessary unless you can’t wait to get rid of the dead shells.
 
For Lice Check/Removal Services, see Resources tab below.
 
 
Parents are advised that, if possible, medication should be given at home on a schedule other than school hours. When it becomes necessary for medication to be taken during the school day, these procedures MUST be followed:
 
  1. Make an appointment, or call, health office personnel to discuss medication administration. 
  2. All medications (prescription and non-prescription) must be brought to the health office by a parent/guardian or trusted adult. Do not send any medications to school with your child (including inhalers, cough drops, etc.).
  3. The school must have a written request from a parent/guardian AND a written order from a licensed prescribing practitioner for all medications, including over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, cough drops, eye drops, vitamins, etc. Link to forms are listed below.
  4. 4. All prescription medications must be sent to school in the original pharmacy-labeled container. When filling a prescription, upon request, the pharmacy should dispense medication in 2 containers: one for home and one for school. 
  5. All non-prescription medication must be sent to school in the unopened tamper proof packaging in which it was purchased labeled with the student’s name. 
  6. While in school, students must not carry any medication on their person, in backpacks, or in their locker. All medication will be stored in a locked cabinet in the health office.
  7. Medication must be taken in the presence of appropriate school personnel. 
  8. Medications not picked up the last day of school will be discarded.
 
 

 

If a student needs to be excused from PE and/or recess (for illness or injury), a doctor note must be submitted to the health office explaining why and for how long. A note will also be required to return to PE after injury if an end date is not on the original doctor note. 

 

These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Beacon Academy of any of the products, services or opinions of the corporation or organization or individual. Beacon Academy bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links. Contact the external site for answers to questions regarding its content.
 
Free and Low Cost Dental Services:

 
Free and Low Cost Eye Care

Free and Low Cost Health Care

Lice Check/Removal Services


Hearing and vision screenings are not required in Minnesota schools but are HIGHLY recommended due to their significant impact on learning. Vision and hearing screenings are usually performed, jointly, in October/November. Hearing and vision screenings are often a required component of a special education evaluation and annual assessment. 

Screenings are conducted for grades 1,3,5,7. Screenings should also be completed for new students, students undergoing evaluation for special education services or upon concerns from a teacher or parent/guardian. 

Beacon Academy Health Office personnel are trained through MN Department of Health Child & Teen checkups.
 
This school year, 2024-2025, Beacon utilized the St Louis Park and Maple Grove Lions Clubs KidSight USA program to do our vision screening. They use a no contact device that is capable of screening for near-sightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and pupil size deviations. In addition it will detect unequal refractive power and eye misalignment which can result in amblyopia, commonly known as “lazy eye”. 
 
Hearing screening is being done separately for the 2023-2024 school year starting Monday January 29th through Wednesday, January 31st for grades KG, 3rd, 7th.

Resource video for hearing screening volunteers: MDH Assisting with Hearing Screening Video

School hours are 9:00 am – 3:45 pm                              

July Office Hours: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Monday-Thursday

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