Health Services

Determining whether a child is too ill to attend school can be a challenging judgment to make. To assist you in this process, consider the following criteria to make the most appropriate decision.

• Fever: With fever of 100.4°F or greater OR 100°F with other signs or symptoms of illness. Student may return when fever-free for 24 hours WITHOUT the use of fever-reducing medicine.
  Vomiting: Any unexplained vomiting episode. Student may return 24 hours after the last episode and when tolerating a normal diet.
  Diarrhea: Three or more unexplained episodes of watery or loose stool in 24 hours OR sudden onset of loose stool and feeling unwell. Student may return 24 hours after last episode.
  Cough: Serious, sustained coughing, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
  Eyes: Drainage, vision changes, redness of eyelid, itching, pain, and/or sensitivity to light may be signs of “pink eye” (conjunctivitis). Student should be checked by a licensed healthcare provider.
  Rash: Any new rash accompanied by a fever or other signs of illness. Student may return after rash goes away and free of fever for 24 hours without medication OR with written clearance from a health care provider.
  Skin Lesions/Sores: Drainage from a sore that cannot be contained within a bandage OR sores are increasing in size OR new sores are developing OR student continues to touch sores.
• COVID-19: Students who test positive for COVID-19 must stay home until able to meet the When to Stay Home/Return to School Guidelines.  We encourage masking for 10 days following the onset of symptoms or positive test result.  Adult and child sized masks will be available at school.  You do not need to report a positive test result to the district.
• Hospitalization/Surgery/Injury: If your student has any health-related needs or accommodations following hospitalization, surgery, or injury, please contact the school office or school nurse prior to reentry.
• Other Symptoms: Symptoms that prevent the student from active participation in usual school activities (pain, unusually tired, no appetite, etc.) OR student is requiring more care than school can safely provide OR at the directive of the Kitsap Public Health District.

Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
Washington State Department of Health
Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
Kitsap Public Health Department (KPHD)

Students enrolling in school, from preschool through 12th grade, whether attending in-person or online, must receive the necessary immunizations as listed in the charts below to fulfill immunization requirements. Students of the same age range participating in before and after-school programs must also meet the immunization requirements appropriate for their grade level. These requirements are in alignment with the national Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Immunization Schedule.

• Required Immunizations for School in Washington State

*Students that are eligible for the McKinney-Vento program are not required to provide health documents at the time of enrollment as a condition of enrollment. If there are barriers for the family to access these documents please contact the McKinney-Vento liaison.   

Prior to your student's enrollment, whether for in-person or online learning, please supply a medically verified immunization record. This can be obtained from your student's health care provider, or you can access and print it yourself using MyIR, a complimentary online tool from the Department of Health. MyIR allows families to view and print their official immunization records independently. Visit the MyIR registration page to begin the sign-up process.

• (English) Certificate of Immunization Status Form
• (Español) Certificate of Immunization Status Form

Under Washington State Law, parents or guardians have the right to seek exemption for their child from the immunization requirements of schools or childcare centers. These exemptions can be invoked for personal/philosophical, religious, or medical grounds. However, exemptions for measles, mumps, and rubella cannot be claimed due to personal or philosophical reasons. To apply for an exemption, a fully completed Certificate of Exemption must be submitted to the school or childcare center. For more details about exemptions, please visit the Department of Health website.

• (English) Certificate of Exemption Form
• (Español) Certificate of Exemption Form

Life-threatening health conditions can pose a significant challenge to students' daily lives and their education. Defined under Washington State Law: RCW 28A.210.320, a life-threatening health condition refers to any health situation that could put a student's life at risk during the school day, if a medication or treatment order and a nursing plan are not in place.

To manage these conditions effectively, the district requires that students with any life-threatening health condition submit a medication or treatment order to the school record’s staff or the school nurse before attending school. This ensures that the school is aware of the student's condition and is prepared to handle any emergencies that may arise.

Once a medication or treatment order is received, the school nurse develops a nursing plan tailored to the student's specific needs. This comprehensive approach ensures that the school staff can promptly and appropriately respond to any health emergencies that may occur during the school day.

In the absence of a medication or treatment order, students with life-threatening health conditions may be excluded from school following due process. This precaution is taken to ensure the safety of the student until such orders are received and a suitable plan is established.

Students who have a life-threatening condition are encouraged to wear a medical alert bracelet.

Examples of life-threatening conditions include:

• Severe bee sting or food allergies
• Severe asthma, seizures, heart problems
• Diabetes

However, the North Kitsap School District encourages parents to contact their building's School Health Consultant or the Student Health Services Office (360) 396-3580 directly for inquiries about any other illnesses that their student might be experiencing.