Ensuring the well-being of our students is a top priority, and this provides essential information on when your student can return to school after an illness, medication administration guidelines, immunization requirements, and procedures for accidents and injuries. Here, you’ll find criteria for excluding students from school due to common illnesses, resources for managing health conditions, and steps to take in case of emergencies.
We are committed to maintaining a healthy and safe environment for all our students. For more detailed information, please refer to the sections below or contact us with any questions or concerns.
Exclusion Criteria
| Condition | Exclusion/Non-Exclusion | Readmission |
|---|---|---|
| Colds, sore throat, or a persistent cough. | – No exclusion required unless student feels unwell or has a fever and/or student is unable to participate in routine school activities due to condition. – Student should be able to follow cough etiquette (cough in sleeve). | Fever-free for 24 hours without using any fever-reducing medications & symptoms do not interfere with routine school activities. |
| Flu (influenza) types A and B | – No exclusion required unless student feels unwell or has a fever and/or student is unable to participate in routine school activities due to condition. | Fever-free for 24 hours without using any fever-reducing medications. |
| Temperature/Fever | – Exclude for a temperature/fever = or > 100.4F (38C) | Fever-free for 24 hours without using any fever-reducing medications. |
| Strep Throat | – Exclude until seen by a Health Care Provider and treatment initiated. | 24 hours after antibiotic treatment is started. |
| Vomiting/Severe abdominal pain | – Exclude at first symptom. | Symptom-free for 24 hours. |
The above four conditions are the most common illnesses that present. For other illnesses, view our Health Guidelines for Excluding Students.
Accidents & Injuries
Gateway Preparatory Academy does not provide health insurance or medical insurance coverage for students. The responsibility for ensuring students have medical insurance rests with students’ parents/guardians. Insurance policies may be purchased by parents/guardians for students in the private insurance marketplace.
Please ensure you have the names, phone numbers, and addresses of individuals who should be contacted in an emergency are updated when you complete the online registration and information update completed in Skyward at the beginning of each school year. Update this information promptly if it changes at any time by contacting the front office.
All accidents on campus are to be reported to the office where immediate care can be arranged. Students injured at school are not to leave school without contacting parents/guardians and receiving proper administrative authorization. Schools cannot release any student unless a parent/guardian is contacted. If a student becomes ill, (s)he should report to the office for assistance.
Students and parents/guardians may expect these procedures to be followed in the event of an accident at school:
- The student should report to the teacher his/her injury and what happened.
- If minor medical attention is needed, the teacher will bring the student to the office.
- In a more serious situation, a parent/guardian will be called immediately.
- School personnel cannot take a child to a health care provider unless it is an absolute emergency. School personnel will call 911 if immediate emergency medical attention is needed.
- We do not diagnose ailments or administer any medications in connection with an accident.
For more information on head injuries, please view the head injury handout.
School Health Info
Immunizations
You must have proof of all required immunizations. Students will not be allowed to attend school without receiving all the required vaccines for their age group.
Students in all grades (K-12) must be immunized adequately according to Utah state guidelines. The timing of vaccine doses are important in the use of vaccines. Contact your healthcare provider or the health department if you have questions regarding your student’s immunization status.
Possible places to receive required immunizations include their healthcare provider, a local health department, an immunization clinic, or your local pharmacy (Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Harmons, etc.). For families who are underinsured, you can visit here for more information on how to receive immunizations.
For vaccination exemptions, parents/guardians are required to complete an online education module and print off the exemption form and return it to the school nurse. Vaccination exemptions obtained in elementary school will stay valid until 7th grade. A new exemption form is required when a student enters 7th grade. Vaccination exemptions obtained in 7th grade or thereafter will stay valid until a student completes 12th grade. View the exemption module here.
Medications at School
Medication can be administered at school under the following conditions:
- Prescription medications must be brought to the main office in their original prescription bottle and accompanied by the completed “School Medication Authorization Form” signed by a parent/guardian and a physician.
- If your child must take short-term medication (antibiotics, etc.) for any reason, please make arrangements to administer the doses yourself.
- Students may carry a daily dose of necessary medication or a multi-dose medication for diseases such as asthma or diabetes if a parent/guardian and the health care provider have completed and submitted the School Medication Authorization Form available at the front office.
- School personnel cannot force students to take their provided medications and will be administered at their compliance. The school will take whatever action is necessary conditional upon the needs for the medication.
For more information view our Administration of Medicine to Students Policy or contact the front office.