Health Policy
An annual physical is required for all Bullis students and must be done within 12 months of the first day of school. The Physician’s Examination Form, Emergency Health Care Plans (if applicable), Hearing and Vision Screen (for students in 6th and 9th grade and those students not previously in a Montgomery County School either public or private) and Immunization Certificate (for new students only) must be completed by a medical doctor and the Student Information Sheet by a parent/guardian. Click here to access these forms, or contact the school nurse in the Health Office. Copies of the Student Information Sheet will be distributed to athletic coaches prior to off-campus games and activities. Medical information pertinent to the student may be confidentially shared with the applicable teacher(s) and/or athletic coach.
If a student is injured or becomes ill during school hours, he/she must see the school nurse to be excused from classes or other school obligations. Students should not be using their cell phones to contact a parent about going home prior to seeing the nurse. The parent/guardian will be contacted by the school nurse, and if the situation warrants he/she will need to be taken home. Your child will be cared for until you arrive, but please remember that under such circumstances, the comfort of your child will be increased if you come as quickly as possible. If an ill or injured child warrants immediate action, the rescue squad at 911 will be called.
If your child wakes up not feeling well and/or with a fever, please keep him or her home. Not only is he/she not at his/her best to learn, but he/she might very well infect his/her peers and teachers. A good general rule is to have him/her return to school if there has been no fever in the preceding 24 hours. If your child has seen a doctor, please get instructions on when your doctor feels it is appropriate, based on the illness and treatment, to return to class. If your child is treated for a contagious condition such as strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink eye), infectious mononucleosis, head lice, etc., please let the school nurse know as soon as possible.Medication Administration Policy
The policy of the Health Office at Bullis is to always make the safety and well-being of the student our top priority. Before administering any prescription medication, we will require a completed Physician’s Examination Form. If your child has another physician who prescribes medication, you may use the Medication Authorization Change Form.
All prescription medication to be administered at school for Lower, Middle and Upper Schools will be stored and administered by the school nurse. In the absence of the nurse, an appropriate person will be designated by the school to distribute medication as needed. Exceptions are outlined below.
All medication to be administered at school must be brought in the original prescription container. This includes ADD/ADHD medication the Upper School students are allowed to carry. If requested, most pharmacies will provide you with an empty labeled second bottle for this purpose. Medications should be brought to school by the parent or responsible adult and taken to the Health Office. The original prescription container must be labeled with the following information: name of student, name of medication, dosage of medication, frequency of administration, route of administration, name of physician ordering medication, date of prescription and expiration date. Please do not send pills in baggies, etc. If the medication is to be given to the student on a daily basis by the school nurse, the parent or guardian should provide a 30-day supply of the medication and adequate refills on a timely basis. All medication is kept in a locked cabinet at all times. If not retrieved by a parent or responsible adult, all medication will be disposed of one week after the expiration date or one week after the end of the school year, whichever comes first. Over-the-counter medications will be administered by the nurse with parental authorization indicated on the Physician’s Examination Form/Student Information Sheet. A record will be maintained every time a medication is given by the school nurse. This record includes the student’s name, date, time of administration and dosage.
The first exception to this policy is asthma inhalers, epi-pens and medications related to diabetes. These may be carried by students if a physician has ordered their use on the Physician’s Examination Form or other appropriate documentation and has stated that the student is capable of self-administration. It is strongly suggested that an extra inhaler or epi-pen be kept in the Health Room for back up. The second exception to this policy is the daily dose of ADD/ADHD medication Upper School students will be allowed to carry with physician and parental authorization.
If there are any changes in prescription medications given to the student whether at home or at school, please have the physician complete the Medication Authorization Change Form. This, as with all other forms, should be given to the school nurse and kept on file in the Health Room. The first dose of any new medication must be given at home and an order must be renewed annually.Field Trip Medication Policy
Prescription medications will be administered by faculty on field trips only when necessary and a Physician Examination Form/Student Information Sheet and/or Medication Authorization Change Form is on file for all the medications to be administered. Enough medication for the field trip only should be brought to school in an envelope marked with the student’s name, medication name, dosage, time(s) for administration and physician’s name and telephone number written on the outside of the sealed envelope. The envelope must be given to the school nurse at least two days prior to the trip. The school nurse will give the medication envelope to the designated health person or teacher in charge of the trip.
Vision and Hearing Screening
Vision and hearing screens are mandatory for all students in 6th and 9th grades and any student new to Bullis and not previously in a Montgomery County School, both public and private.
Communicable Disease Policy
Prior to the start of school, new students must submit a Maryland immunization certificate and a Bullis Physician Examination Form completed by their doctor. Students are expected to be in compliance with the Maryland immunization schedule. The school is required to exclude children from school who are out of compliance with the state immunization schedule.
The risk of transmitting blood borne pathogens, including Hepatitis B and C, HIV or AIDS is extremely low in school settings when standard precautions to prevent disease transmission are followed. Standard precautions dictate that all blood and body fluids be handled as though they are infectious.
The parent(s) or guardian(s) of a student with a communicable disease or infestation should notify the school as soon as they have knowledge of their child’s diagnosis. School guidelines for exclusion due to a communicable disease will follow recommendations from local, state and federal agencies that address communicable disease standards. The determination regarding the conditions under which a child may or may not attend school will be made on a case-by-case basis by the school nurse with advice from one or more of the following: the head of school, school administrators (as selected by the head of school), parent(s) or guardian(s), treating physician and public health officials. The number of school personnel informed of the student’s condition will be limited by the head of school to those essential in ensuring the proper care of the child and in protecting against transmission of the disease.