Food Allergies

In promoting a safe school environment for children with food allergies at-risk for anaphylaxis, students, parents, and school personnel should work as a team in identifying students at-risk for anaphylaxis, reducing the risk of exposure to food allergens and to react quickly should an exposure or allergic reaction occur. A food allergy is defined as a potentially serious immune-mediated response that develops after ingesting or coming into contact with specific foods or food additives. Symptoms of a food induced allergic reaction may range from mild to severe and may become life-threatening. Reactions vary with each person and each exposure to a food allergen and the severity of an allergic reaction is not predictable. Some students with food allergies have an anaphylactic response which is defined as a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death. Anaphylaxis occurs within a few minutes to several hours after exposure to the allergen.

If your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy, complete the following forms and please contact the school nurse ASAP.

Food AllergyActionPlan-CCS.pdf

Medication Administration Request.docx

In promoting a safe school environment for children with food allergies at-risk for anaphylaxis, students, parents, and school personnel should work as a team in identifying students at-risk for anaphylaxis, reducing the risk of exposure to food allergens and to react quickly should an exposure or allergic reaction occur.

The responsibilities of the family include:

• Notifying the school of the student’s allergies in accordance with TEC, Section 25.022. Use of the GCISD Parent Statement of Food Allergy Information is the preferred method of notification.

• Working with the School Nurse to develop and review the FAAP/EAP and IHP as well as discuss accommodations the student will need throughout the school day, during school-sponsored activities, and on the school bus.

• Providing completed and signed HISD medication authorization and Food Allergy Action Plan (signed by the physician) to the school nurse.

• Providing properly labeled medications and replace medications after use or upon expiration.

• Working with your child in the self-management of their food allergy including:

  • Safe and unsafe foods,

  • Strategies for avoiding exposure to unsafe foods,

  • Symptoms of allergic reactions,

  • How and when to tell and adult they may be having an allergy-related problem,

  • How to read food labels (age appropriate),

  • If age appropriate, the importance of carrying and administering their personal asthma and anaphylaxis medications as prescribed.

• Meeting with the school staff for post-exposure conference.

• Providing emergency contact information and update when needed.

• The responsibilities of the student include:

  • No trading of food with others.

  • Not eating anything with unknown ingredients or known to contain any allergen.

  • Being proactive in the care and management of their food allergies and reactions (as developmentally appropriate).

  • Immediately notifying an adult if they eat something they believe may contain a food to which they are allergic.

Parents of students with known life-threatening anaphylaxis should provide the school with all necessary medications for implementing the student- specific order on an annual basis. This guideline is not intended to replace student-specific orders or parent-provided individual medications. 

DSHS

SHAC

A School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) is a group of parents and community members, appointed by the school board to serve at the district level. Members of the SHAC come from different areas of the community and from within the school district. The majority of members must be parents who are not employed by the district. Texas law requires the establishment of a SHAC for every school district. SHACs are required to meet at least four times each year.

SHACs assist the districts in ensuring that local community values are reflected in health education instruction. Additionally, SHACs play an important role in strengthening the connection between health and learning. They can help parents and community stakeholders reinforce the knowledge and skills children need to stay healthy for a lifetime.

Recources:

Texas SHAC Network

Texas Department of State Health Services SHAC

Texas Education Agency SHAC and Health Education

Immunizations

A student shall show acceptable evidence of vaccination prior to entry, attendance, or transfer to a public or private elementary or secondary school in Texas.  All immunizations should be completed by the first date of attendance. The law requires that students be fully vaccinated against the specified diseases

Texas State Law Requirement:

The law requires that students be full vaccinated by the first date of attendance. If the student qualifies for provisional enrollment a 30-day deadline will be given to receive the subsequent dose of vaccines required by law. If, at the end of the 30-day period, a provisionally enrolled student has not received the subsequent dose of vaccines required by law, the student is not in compliance and the school shall exclude the student from school attendance until the required dose is administered. Proof of vaccine should be provided to the school nurse or administrator for the student to be allowed back in school.

2024-2025 Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Students Grades K-12 (English:Spanish).pdf

Provisional Enrollment Dosing Schedule.pdf

Exemptions:

Texas law allows (a) physicians to write medical exemption statements which clearly state a medical reason exists and the person cannot receive specific vaccines, and (b) parents/guardians to choose an exemption from immunization requirements for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief. The law does not allow parents/guardians to elect an exemption simply because of inconvenience (for example, a record is lost or incomplete and it is too much trouble to go to a physician or clinic to correct the problem). Schools should maintain an up-to-date list of students with exemptions, so they may be excluded in times of emergency or epidemic declared by the commissioner of public health.

Submitting an Exemption for Reasons of Conscience

The form must be submitted to the school or child-care facility within 90 days from the date it is notarized. The affidavit will be valid for a two-year period from the date of notarization. A child or student who has not received the required immunizations for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs, may be excluded from school in times of emergency or epidemic declared by the commissioner of the department.

Submitting an Exemption for Medical Reasons

For school and childcare attendance, the state allows for medical exemptions to accommodate these individuals. Schools and childcare facilities should accept medical exemptions that are signed by a US-licensed MD or DO and clearly state a medical reason the person cannot receive specific vaccines.  Unless the exemption states a lifelong condition, the exemption is only valid for one year. 

Exemption from Immunization Request Form 

Previous Illness Documentation:

Previous illness may be documented with a written statement from a physician, or the child’s parent or guardian containing wording such as: “This is to verify that (name of student) had varicella disease (chickenpox) on or about (date) and does not need varicella vaccine.” This written statement will be acceptable in place of any and all varicella vaccine doses required.

Seizure Management and Treatment Form is Now Available

Senate Bill (SB) 1506, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, amended Texas Education Code (TEC) §38.032 requiring TEA to post on the agency’s website a form to be used to submit a seizure management and treatment plan that includes specific information and the signatures of the student’s parent or guardian and the physician responsible for the student’s seizure treatment.

This change in law only applies to a seizure management and treatment plan submitted to a school district or open-enrollment charter school on or after January 1, 2024.

Please note that the required form originally posted has been revised in collaboration with the Epilepsy Foundation based on feedback received from numerous stakeholders from around the state. We greatly appreciate everyone’s input and feedback in streamlining the required form.

The final version of the required form to be used for submitting this information can be found under the Announcements section of the Healthy and Safe School Environment of the Coordinated School Health Model webpage.

TEA Seizure Management Form

Medication Administration Request

Food Allergy Action Plan.pdf

Allergy Action Plan.pdf

Diabetic Management Plan.pdf

Asthma Action Plan.pdf

If a student goes home or stays home from school with a fever of 100.0 degrees or more, they must stay home for 24 hours or until fever free for 24 hours WITHOUT medication.

Students with vomiting and/ or diarrhea must go home or stay home for 24 hours or until free of vomiting and/or diarrhea for 24 hours WITHOUT medication.

Medications to control fever, vomiting, and/or diarrhea are not given at school because students are to be free of vomiting or diarrhea to remain at school.

Johns Hopkins Medicine

In the 86th Legislature, HB 3884 required DSHS to create procedures for school districts to provide information relating to bacterial meningitis to students and parents. DSHS shall prescribe the form and content of the information. School districts should provide the information below on the district website or provide a link to this page on the district website. For school districts that do not maintain a website, the information should be provided in hard copy to each student. 

Bacterial Meningitis.pdf

Meningitis Information for Students and Parents

Medication Procedures:

Prescription and Over the Counter Medication may be administered at school if the following apply:

1. Approved authorization forms are on file for the medication to be administered. A new completed form is required each school year.
2. Medication must be provided by the parent or guardian. No medication is provided by the school except for those on the standing orders along with naloxone for suspected opioid overdose, and/or epinephrine in case of a possible anaphylactic reaction.
3. Medication must be kept in the school clinic or in a locked cabinet in a self-contained classroom, and administered by the school nurse, health assistant, or trained school employee.
4. No medication will be sent home with the student.  Parents/Guardians must pick up all medications whether prescriptions or over-the-counter.
5. All prescription-medication must be properly labeled in English in a prescription bottle/box with the student’s name, medication name, directions for dispensing the drug and written and signed by a physician licensed to practice in the United States.  Over-the-counter medication must be in the original container with the label intact and non-expired.  ALL MEDICATIONS need a physician signature and a parent/guardian signature.  NO MEDICATION WILL BE GIVEN WITHOUT A PARENT/GUARDIAN AND PHYSICIAN SIGNATURE.
6. Controlled medication will be counted by the school nurse or health assistant upon arrival at the school and documented. As to the number of pills received.  Medication must be delivered by the parent/guardians.
7. A student may be allowed to self-administer inhaled asthma medication, an Epi-Pen, or diabetes treatment ONLY if the following conditions have been complied with:
   1. Written permission from the physician allowing the student to self-medicate or treat.
   2. The nurse has counseled the parent and the student on the school’s inability to monitor the student’s health condition during the school day while self-medicating and treating.
   3. The student complies with all campus safety policies.
8.  No district employee will administer herbal substances, anabolic steroids or dietary supplements except as provided in the Hawkins ISD Policy FFAC (Local).  Herbal substances or dietary supplements may be administered as prescribed by a physician if it is required by the IEP or Sections 504 plan of a student with a disability.  Medication must be provided by the student’s parent or guardian.

*** In accordance with the Nurse Practice Act; Texas Administrative Code, Section 217.11, the Registered Nurse and the Licensed Vocational Nurse have the Responsibility and authority to refuse to administer medications that, in the nurse’s judgment, are contra-indictaed for administration to the student.***

Parent Permission Form:

Dr. Authorization / Parent Authorization for Administration of Medication at School

Standing Orders:

2024-2025 Hawkins ISD Standing Medical Orders

2024-2025 Hawkins ISD Standing Narcan Orders

2024-2025 Hawkins ISD Standing Epinephrine Orders