Student Health & Safety
Immunization Requirements The Ardmore Board of Education shall provide an environment for students to study, interact, and learn. Such an environment shall be reasonably free of known hazards that may threaten or endanger the health of our children or educators. The board of education shall require that no child be admitted to this school unless and until certification for a licensed physician or authorized representative of the State Department of Health is presented to the school administrators that such child has received or is in the process of receiving the immunization required by the State Department of Public Health unless an exemption has been granted from the immunizations on medical, religious, or personal grounds. If a parent or guardian is unable to pay for the required immunizations, the school will refer the student to the State Department of Public Health for assistance. |
Food Allergy Guildines The following guidelines are designed to reduce the risk of exposure to potentially life-threatening food allergens for our growing number of students with severe allergies. It is the district’s goal to provide a school setting that minimizes the risk of accidental exposure while maintaining a safe, positive educational environment for all students. Impact on the School Every school should expect at some point to have students with food allergies. Schools must be prepared to deal with food allergies and the potential for anaphylaxis. The student with an undiagnosed food allergy may experience a first allergy reaction while at school. When a physician assesses that a child’s food allergy will result in anaphylaxis, the child’s condition meets the definition of “disability” and is covered under the Federal Americans with Disability Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and may be covered under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) if the allergy management affects the student’s ability to make educational progress. Adequate plans and staff, who are knowledgeable regarding preventive measures and are well prepared to handle severe allergic reactions, can save the life of a child. Family Responsibility
Student Responsibility
School Responsibility
Everyone’s Responsibility:
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Medication Given at School Giving medication to students at school requires the utmost care and caution on the part of school staff. The danger of a student receiving an incorrect medication puts the student’s health at risk and places the school and employees in legal jeopardy. The board of education has established policies and procedures for the safe administration of medications at school, including the following: The principal designates in writing which school employees may administer medications to students. The school nurse:
Designated school employees:
The school nurse will contact local physicians and pharmacists annually to remind them of the district’s medication policy. Pharmacists will be asked to make a separate prescription container to be taken to school.
Prescription medication must be in a container that indicates the following:
The medication must be delivered to the principal’s office in person by the parent or guardian of the student unless the medication must be retained by the student for immediate self-administration. The medication will be accompanied by written authorization for the parent, guardian, or person having legal custody that indicates the following:
Self-administration of inhaled asthma medication by a student for treatment of asthma or an anaphylaxis medication used to treat anaphylaxis is permitted with written parental information. The parent or guardian of the student must also provide a written statement from the physician treating the student that the student has asthma or anaphylaxis and is capable of, and has been instructed in the proper method of, self-administration of medication. Additionally:
Definitions: Medication means a metered dose inhaler or a dry powder inhaler to alleviate asthmatic symptoms, prescribed by a physician and having an individual label, or an anaphylaxis medication used to treat anaphylaxis, including but not limited to Epinephrine injectors, prescribed by a physician and having an individual label. Self-administration means a student’s use of medication pursuant to prescription or written direction from a physician. Non-prescription medication may only be administered for a specific short-term illness and only for the duration of the illness (i.e., cough, cold, toothache). The medication will be administered in accordance with label directions or written instructions from the student’s physician. School must also be able to determine whether the medication is out of date. The medication must be delivered to the principal’s office in person by the parent or guardian of the student. The medication will be accompanied by written authorization from the parent, guardian, or person having legal custody that indicates the following:
For all health concerns about your child, please visit with your school nurse. |
Ill Children A child, who is obviously ill (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) or has a fever, should not be sent to school until they are fever free & symptom free for at least 24 hours. If a child becomes seriously ill at school, we will contact a parent immediately. If we cannot reach the parent, we will use the emergency contact information that the parent has provided. Students have as many days to make up missed work as the number of days they were out of school due to absences. It is the parent’s responsibility to keep the school office current on changes of address and phone numbers for the parent and for their emergency contacts. Please remember that we cannot keep seriously ill children at school. |
Child AbuseThe employees of Ardmore City Schools believe in the welfare of all students and are committed to their safety and well-being. It is required by Oklahoma law that any teacher or other school employee having reason to believe that any child has had physical injury or injuries inflicted upon them other than by accidental means where the injury appears to have been caused as a result of physical abuse or neglect, shall report the matter to the Department of Human Services at Toll Free HOTLINE 1-800-522-3511 |
Bullying & Harassment Prevention It is the policy of this school district that bullying of students by other students, personnel, or the public will not be tolerated. Students are expected to be civil, polite, and fully engaged in the learning process. Students who act inappropriately are not fully engaged in the learning process. This policy is in effect while the students are on school grounds, in school vehicles, at designated bus stops, at school-sponsored activities, or at school-sanctioned events, and while away from school grounds if the misconduct directly affects the good order, efficient management, and welfare of the school district. Bullying of students by electronic communication is prohibited whether or not such communication originated at school or with school equipment, if the communication is specifically directed at students or school personnel and concerns harassment, intimidation, or bullying at school. The school district is not required to provide educational services in the regular school setting to any student who has been removed from a public school or private school in Oklahoma or another state by administrative or judicial process for an act of using electronic communication with the intent to terrify, intimidate or harass, or threaten to inflict injury or physical harm to faculty or students. (Investigation Procedures) The following procedures will be used by any person for the filing, processing, and resolution of a reported incident of harassment, intimidation, bullying, or threatening behavior. The procedures are to be followed by the administration of the school district in an effort to determine the severity of the incident and the potential to result in future violence. Bullying means any pattern of harassment, intimidation, threatening behavior, physical acts, verbal or electronic communication directed toward a student or group of students that results in or is reasonably perceived as being done with the intent to cause negative educational or physical results for the targeted individual or group and is communicated in such a way as to disrupt or interfere with the school’s educational mission or the education of any student.
Threatening behavior means any pattern of behavior or isolated action, whether or not it is directed at another person, that a reasonable person would believe indicates potential for future harm to students, school personnel, or school property.
Procedures The procedure for investigating reported incidents of harassment, intimidation and bullying or threatening behavior, is as follows: The matter should immediately be reported to the building principal. The Harassment/Bullying form (FD-F.3) should be completed for each reported incident by the person reporting the incident or the person having knowledge of the bullying. If the bullying involved an electronic communication, a printed copy of the communication as well as any identifying information such as email address or web address shall be provided to the building principal. As much detailed information as possible should be provided to the building principal in written form to allow for a thorough investigation of the matter. Upon receipt of a written report or form, the building principal shall contact the superintendent and begin an investigation to determine the severity of the incident and the potential for future violence. If, during the course of the investigation, it appears that a crime may have been committed the building principal and/or superintendent shall notify local law enforcement and request that the alleged victim also contact law enforcement to report the matter for potential criminal investigation. If it is determined that the school district’s discipline code has been violated, the building principal shall follow district policies regarding the discipline of the student. The building principal shall make a determination as to whether the conduct is actually occurring. If it is determined that an act of bullying has occurred, a referral will be made to a delinquency prevention and diversion program administered by the Office of Juvenile Affairs. Upon completion of the investigation, the principal or superintendent may recommend that available community mental health care substance abuse or other counseling options be provided to the student, if appropriate. This may include information about the types of support services available to the student bully, victim and any other students affected by the prohibited behavior. If such a recommendation is made, the administration shall request disclosure of any information that indicates an explicit threat to the safety of students or school personnel provided the disclosure of information does not violate the provisions or requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, Section 2503 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, Section 1376 of Title 59 of Oklahoma Statutes, or any other state or federal laws relating to the disclosure of confidential information. Upon completion of an investigation, timely notification shall be provided to the parents or guardians of a victim of documented and verified bullying. This information should be provided within 5 school days of the conclusion of the investigation. Upon completion of an investigation, timely notification shall be provided to the perpetrator of the documented and verified bullying. This information should be provided within 5 school days of the conclusion of the investigation. Reports may be made anonymously. However, no formal disciplinary action shall be taken solely on the basis of an anonymous report. Reports shall be made immediately to the building principal by any school employee that has reliable information that would lead a reasonable person to suspect that a person is a target of bullying, The Superintendent shall be responsible for enforcing this policy. The building principal should notify the superintendent within twenty-four (24) hours of any report of bullying. Upon completion of an investigation, the building principal should notify the superintendent of the findings of the investigation. Documentation should also be provided to the superintendent to establish that timely notification was provided to the parents of the victim and the parents of the perpetrator. ⇨ Tab to submit a complaint |
Student Safety
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