Health Services
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Our school nurses provide an essential resource to our students, families, and staff. What do they do each day? The list is long, but here are a few highlights:
- Speak with families about positive COVID-19 cases.
- Assess student health symptoms and determine if a student should remain at school, go home, and/or be seen by a physician.
- Manage students' medication.
- Provide health screenings and referrals to family health care providers.
- Track student immunization requirements and coordinate other state health requirements.
- Educate students on disease prevention and other general health topics.
Human Growth and DevelopmentParent/guardians may review human growth and development materials by contacting the school principal. Additionally, they may have their children removed from human growth and development instruction by providing a written request to the school principal.
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School Nurses
- Clive Learning Academy — Hannah Aukes, 633-5806
- Crestview School of Inquiry — Jennifer Anderson, 633-5704
- Crossroads Park Elementary — Emily Budahn and Nadia Narayan, 633-5615
- Fairmeadows Elementary — Stacie Walther, 633-6505
- Hillside Elementary — Allison Line and Emily Boettcher, 633-6241
- Jordan Creek Elementary — Courtnay Murphy, 633-5223
- Learning Resource Center (PK) — Roberta Malloy, 633-6404
- Western Hills Elementary — Katherine Thomas, 633-5907
- Westridge Elementary — Anna Shull and Julie Galloway, 633-5423
- Indian Hills Junior High — Mary MacAlpine, 633-4714
- Stilwell Junior High — Liz Horn, 633-6013
- Valley Southwoods Freshman High School — Jackie Dewater, 633-4521
- Valley High School — Bridget Jacobson and Heather Strang, 633-4007
- Walnut Creek Campus — Roberta Malloy, 633-6404
Laura Mears, Manager of Blank Nurses at WDMCS
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Illness at School and When to Keep Your Child At Home
School nurses play a critical role in maintaining the health and safety of schools. West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) collaborates with the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), Polk County Public Health Department (PCHD), and local health care professionals to provide guidelines that identify when it is safe for children to attend school.
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General Illness Guidelines
Stay or go home if you have one or more of these symptoms:
- fever over 100.4 within the last 24 hours
- new loss of taste or smell
- vomiting two or more times during the previous 24 hours, unless the vomiting is known to be caused by a condition that’s not contagious
- conditions that suggest the possible presence of a more serious illness, including
- fever
- rash
- sluggishness
- persistent crying
- irritability
- difficulty breathing
- diarrhea (must be diarrhea free in the 24 hours prior to returning to school)
- Impetigo until 24 hours after treatment has started. Impetigo is a skin infection with erupting sores usually under the nose or by the lips. This drainage is generally described as “a golden crust”.
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COVID-19 Guidelines
All individuals, including students, staff, and visitors, are encouraged to follow CDC guidance regarding face masks.
Guidance for individuals who test positive for COVID-19
- Contact your school nurse for guidance.
- Individuals must isolate themselves at home from days 0-5. Day 0 is the first day of symptoms, or the day of the positive test if no symptoms have developed.
- Individuals may return after 5 days, if:
- they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications;
- their symptoms improving; and
- they wear a mask for days 6-10 when around other people. If the individual tests negative twice (at least 48 hours apart) between days 6-10, then the mask can be removed before day 10.
Learn more on the CDC's website >
Guidance for individuals who are exposed to a positive COVID-19 case
- Individuals should mask when around other people for a total of 10 days. Testing is recommended on or after day five.
- If the initial test is negative, the individual is encouraged to test again 48 hours after the first test.
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Communicating About Illness
To minimize the spread of illness, report contagious diseases to the school nurse.
- Contagious diseases: COVID-19, influenza, measles, whooping cough, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, chickenpox, etc.
The school nurse or another school representative will contact you if your child becomes ill or seriously injured at school.
- It is very important to provide an emergency contact and keep it updated throughout the year. If a parent/guardian cannot be reached, other individuals listed on the emergency form will be contacted.
- Students must be picked up within one hour after being contacted unless arrangements have been made with the school nurse or administrator.
- Contagious diseases: COVID-19, influenza, measles, whooping cough, hepatitis A, tuberculosis, chickenpox, etc.
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Health Forms
WDMCS requests examinations and medical reports annually of all preschoolers, kindergartners, third-graders, sixth-graders, and all new students. Health Services should also be notified if any student has a known health problem.
Many of these forms are provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).
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Asthma/Other Airway Constricting Self-Admin Med Consent Form
wdmcs-asthma-self-administration-consent-form-20210115-fillable-website.pdf 249.05 KB (Last Modified on August 7, 2023) -
IDPH Certificate of Immunization Exemption: Medical Reasons
Certificate-of-Immunization-Exemption-Medical-12-21-16-Final-1.pdf 229.97 KB (Last Modified on December 22, 2020) -
IDPH Certificate of Immunization Exemption: Religous Reasons
Certificate-of-Immunization-Exemption-Religious-June-2015.pdf 196.22 KB (Last Modified on December 22, 2020) -
Ley de Iowa sobre la evaluación de la visión de los niños
2020 Spanish Vision Screening Certificate w Letter to Parents.pdf 498.47 KB (Last Modified on March 12, 2021) -
PRN Asthma and Nebulizer Administration
wdmcs-prn-asthma-nebulizer-administration-form-2021-fillable.pdf 286.33 KB (Last Modified on December 22, 2020) -
PRN Short-term Medication Form
wdmcs-prn-medication-administration-form-2021-fillable.pdf 306.02 KB (Last Modified on December 22, 2020)
Health Screenings
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Blood Lead Screening
Iowa law now requires that children enrolling in kindergarten provide proof of having been tested for blood lead levels before they are 6 years old. There are exemptions to the law in cases of religious exemption or in cases where the Iowa Department of Public Health determines the child is at an extremely low risk of lead exposure. Exemptions must be approved by the Iowa Department of Public Health. If you have questions or need assistance, contact the Iowa Department of Public Health’s blood lead bureau at 1-800-972-2026. Learn more from IDPH.
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Dental Screening
Iowa law requires all students entering kindergarten and ninth grade complete a dental screening. It can be completed by a licensed doctor, advanced registered nurse practitioner, physician assistant, nurse, dental hygienist, or a dentist.
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Hearing Screening
Heartland Area Education Agency (AEA) will conduct an annual Hearing Conservation Program at each elementary school during the school year. Heartland AEA will conduct hearing screenings for all Kindergarten through 2nd and 5th grade students. Students who do not pass this screening may receive individual hearing tests by an audiologist and consultation with school personnel. Parents will be notified about the results of the hearing tests only if their child does not pass the test.
This is a screening process only, and does not identify all hearing or ear problems. If your child has had hearing or ear problems recently, feel free to send this information to the school nurse for the audiologist. If you do not want your child to participate in the screening program and follow-up assessments by an audiologist, please notify your school. If there are any questions about the hearing testing program in your school, please contact the school nurse or principal.
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Vision Screening
The State of Iowa requires all incoming kindergarten and third-grade students to have a vision screening prior to the first day of school. This exam can be completed by a licensed eye doctor or optometrist, your child’s health care provider at the time of his or her school physical, a free clinic, or a county health department.