“For he who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.”

– Owen Arthur

Our mission at Chapel Hill ISD is to enhance learning by helping to provide a healthy environment for our students. Please refer to the Wellness Links to find information about various diseases and preventative measures.

Communicable Diseases

In order to provide maximum health protection to other students and staff, any student noted by a physician or the school nurse as having a communicable disease may be required to withdraw from school for the duration of the illness. The student will be readmitted to regular classes upon termination of the illness, as authorized by the student's physician or as authorized by a health assessment team. The board reserves the right to require a written statement from the student's physician indicating that the student is free from all symptoms of the disease.

First Aid and Sudden Illness

The school attempts to provide an environment in which students will be safe from accidents. The school is responsible for the emergency handling of accidents and sudden illness, but it is not responsible for subsequent treatment. When an accident occurs, first aid will be administered, and if necessary, a school nurse will be called to the site. When a child becomes ill to the extent that it is necessary to be excused from school, every effort will be made to notify a parent/guardian. For this reason, a telephone number to call in case of emergency should be on file for each student in his/her respective school office.

Immunizations Required

To access information regarding Immunizations required for current school year, please access this link.

Medications at School

All medications shall be brought to the clinic or office area where they shall be kept in a locked container or cabinet.  Students shall not possess any form of medication while at school other than to transport such to the designated location for proper storage.  Medication will be refrigerated only if such storage instruction is printed on the label.  Medication that is prescribed one to three times a day should be given at home (For example, before, after school, and at bedtime).  At the end of the school year, all medication left at school shall be returned to the parent or destroyed.

Prescription Medication

Designated employees of the District may administer medication to a student provided:

• The District has received a written request to administer the medication from a parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal control of the student.
• Prescription medications must be in English & the original container, bearing a prescription label that includes the student’s name, the name of the medicine, directions concerning dosage, the name of the prescribing physician, the name of the pharmacy filling the prescription, and the date the prescription was filled during current school clinic.
• Prescription inhalant medications, properly labeled, may be carried by the student if directed in writing by the physician and parent.  This request must be filed in the school clinic.
• All physician’s sample medication must be accompanied by a written authorization from the physician.

No district employee will be required to give medication above the daily recommended dosage by the Federal Drug Administration.

No medication will be dispensed for a missed dose unless written authorization is received from the parent/guardian for each dose missed.

Over - The - Counter Medication

Designated employees of the District may administer over-the-counter medications for students if the following conditions are met: (Labels on over-the-counter medication designate contents as MEDICATION.)

• The District has received a written request to administer the medication from the parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal control of the student.
• The written request of the parent/guardian must indicate the dosage, frequency of need, reason the medication is needed, and the date(s) of requested administering.
• The medication must be stored in the original container.  Dosage must be within the recommended amount for the age of the student.  Medication may not be given longer than 5 consecutive school days unless directed by a physician.

The student shall report to the school health room to take any medication.  Exceptions to the health rooms being the location for administering medications may be made if such change is recommended by an RTI committee.

As a precaution to prevent tampering of the contents of OTC medications brought by a student to the secondary campus, it is requested that all OTC medications be brought to the school health room in the original unopened container.

School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Team

A school health council is an advisory group of individuals who represent parts of the community which are made up of parents, youth, educators, and others who represent different segments of the community. They provide advice to the school system on the aspects of the school health program. Such a council is formed to provide advice and do not become part of the administrative structure of the school. Nor do they have any legal responsibilities within the school system. The SHAC has a variety of roles, depending on how the school system uses it. Some SHACs are designed to address issues around health instruction alone, while others address all components of a comprehensive school health program (health instruction, healthful school environment, health services, physical education, school counseling food service, school site health promotion for faculty and staff, and integrated school and community programs.

If you are interested in serving on this committee and have time to devote to providing a better opportunity for our students to learn, please contact the school nurse at 903-572-4586, ext. 360.

A SHAC is a group of individuals representing segments of the community, appointed by the school district to serve at the district level, to provide advice to the district on coordinated school health programming and its impact on student health and learning. The SHAC will assist the district in ensuring that local community values are reflected in the district's health education instruction.

SHACs provide an efficient, effective structure for recommending age-appropriate, sequential health education programs, and early intervention and prevention strategies that can easily be supported by local families and community stakeholders.

Benefits of Having a SHAC

1. Addressing the health needs of students through the work of the SHAC, helps meet district performance goals and alleviates financial constraints.
2. SHACs play an important role in communicating the connection between health and learning to school administrators, parents and community stakeholders.
3. SHACs can help parents and community stakeholders reinforce the health knowledge and skills children need to be healthy for a lifetime.

SHAC Laws

Every independent school system is required by law to have a School District Health Advisory Council; of which the majority of members must be parents who are not employed by the school district.  Title 2, Chapter 28, Section 28.004 of the Texas Education Code at http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/ED/htm/ED.28.htm#28.004p details the specifics of this mandate.

Screenings

The following screenings are conducted annually:

• VISION SCREENING - Grades K, 1, 3, 5, 7
• HEARING SCREENING - Grades K, 1, 3, 5, 7
• SCOLIOSIS SCREENING (Girls) - Grades 6, 9
• SCOLIOSIS SCREENING (Boys) - Grade 6, 9

Required Postings

Physical Activities

Physical Activity for Students in Elementary and Middle School – In accordance with policies at EHAB and EHAC the district will ensure that students in Kindergarten through grade 5 engages in moderate or vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day or 135 minutes per week. Students in middle or junior high school shall engage in 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity per day for at least four semesters OR at least 225 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity within a two-week period for at least four semesters.

Vending Machines

The district has adopted policies and implemented procedures to comply with state and federal food service guidelines for restricting student access to vending machines. For more information regarding these policies and guidelines see the Principal. [See policies at CO and FFA.]

The district follows the federal and state guidelines regarding foods of minimal nutritional value being served or sold on school premises during the school day. For more information, go to www.squaremeals.org

Tobacco Use

The district and its staff strictly enforce prohibitions against the use of tobacco products by students and others on school property and at school-sponsored and school-related activities. Students who possess or use tobacco products are assigned to In School Suspension and depending on severity, could be suspended from school.

School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)

The district’s School Health Advisory Council holds these meetings in conjunction with district site base meetings throughout the school year.