Health Services

Each school building has a licensed nurse in the health room to assist and care for students as needed.

District Nurse - Karen Hughes, BSN, RN, NCSN

Early Elementary Center - Kim Watkins, LPN

Dogwood Elementary School - Caitlyn Harstad, RN

Kearney Elementary School - Lori Walker, RN

Hawthorne Elementary School - Barb Johnson, RN

Southview Elementary School - Jaci Mick, BSN, RN

Kearney Middle School - Candice Walker, BSN, RN

Kearney Junior High School - Andrea Detrick, BSN, RN

Kearney High School - Melissa Stokes, RN

Float Nurse - Danielle Walters, LPN

We work closely with parents, students, and public health officials to stay up-to-date on current health conditions.

• Clay County Public Health Center
• Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Providing a safe and healthy environment requires establishing policies and procedures for handling childhood illness. It is unlawful for any child to attend a public school in this state while afflicted with any contagious or infectious disease, or while liable to transmit such disease after having been exposed. We reserve the right by law to require your child to see a physician and be excluded from school so long as there is any liability of such disease being transmitted to other students.

A student should not be in attendance and may be sent home with any of the following:

•       Temperature 100.0 degrees or greater
•       Vomiting
•       Diarrhea
•       Difficulty breathing, rapid or slowed breathing that is uncontrolled
•       Sore throat and/or trouble swallowing
•       Symptoms related to possible communicable diseases:
  •       Suspicious skin rashes
  •       Suspicious open wounds
  •       Redness of eyes or eyelids with intense itching/burning and thick or crusty drainage
  •       Painful, reddened sore throat accompanied by enlarged lymph nodes
  •       Constant cough accompanied by other symptoms
  •       Severe coughing, including, but not limited to, high pitched breathing sounds, “barky-like” sounding cough, turning blue or red in the face
•       Excessive drainage from ears, persistent earache, or ears that show symptoms when assessed with an otoscope
•       Serious physical injury
•       Symptoms of an acute illness/injury making it difficult for student to fully participate in learning:
  •       Exhaustion (can’t stay awake in class)
  •       Pain that is difficult to control in the school environment
  •       Limited mobility related to an injury that has not been evaluated by a physician
  •       Students with live head lice or nits ¼ of an inch or less from scalp

All children that are enrolled in KSD must be in compliance with Missouri’s current immunization laws and regulations.

2022-2023 Immunization Laws and Regulations:

• 2022-2023 Missouri School Immunization Requirements
• Requisitos de Vacunación para las Escuelas de Missouri 2022-2023 (Espanol)
• 2022 Missouri Child Care and Preschool Immunization Requirements
• Requisitos de Vacunación para Preescolar y Cuidado de Niños de Missouri 2022 (Espanol)

2023-2024 Immunization Laws and Regulations:

In accordance with Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Immunization Laws and Regulations, satisfactory evidence of the required kindergarten immunizations will need to be provided. This is mandatory to attend school on the first day.

Required vaccines with minimum dose requirements (dependent on dates received):

• DTaP/DTP/DT - 4+ doses
• IPV (Polio) - 3+ doses
• MMR - 2 doses
• Hepatitis B - 3+ doses
• Varicella - 2 doses

Grade 8

• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) - Dose must be given after 11 years of age
• MCV (Meningococcal Conjugate) - First dose must be given after 10 years of age

Grade 12

• MCV (Meningococcal Conjugate) - Second dose must be given after 16 years of age

It is unlawful for any student to attend school unless the student has been immunized according to Missouri School Immunization Law. Satisfactory evidence of required immunizations must be on file before attending school.

• 2023-2024 Missouri School Immunization Requirements
• 2023 Missouri Childcare and Preschool Immunization Requirements

An electronic medical record copy of immunizations from a provider or proof of a medical or religious exemption on an original Missouri Department of Health and Human Services card must be provided at the time of enrollment and with any additional required immunizations as required by state law.

The District will exclude from school all students who are not immunized or exempted as required by law.

Smart Snack Standards

Snacks provided for the classroom must meet Smart Snack Standards and MUST be approved by the building nurse. Individual snacks must always be peanut and tree nut-free, including coconut. In addition, the product cannot be manufactured or processed in a facility that manufactures or processes nut products due to the risk of cross-contamination.

Find out if a food or beverage meets the standards by visiting the Smart Snack Calculator.

Elementary Birthday Celebrations

For allergy precautions, class sets of cookies are available for purchase from the district’s contracted food service vendor or non-food items will be accepted for individual birthday celebrations.

Food Service Vendor Info:

• Food Service Southwest Food Excellence
• Phone: 816-628-3869
• Web: www.ksdr1.net/departments/food-service

Resources:

• Tips for Avoiding Allergens
• Understanding Food Labels

The following forms require parental consent. Some also require a physician’s medical plan and signature.

Medication Forms

• Medication Administration (Required for all prescription and/or over-the-counter medications.)
• Ages 12+ Over the Counter Acetaminophen & Ibuprofen Administration
• Self-Carry – Asthma Medication
• Self-Carry – Diabetic Medication & Supplies
• Self-Carry – Anaphylaxis Medication

Health Condition Forms

• General Medical Health Form (required upon enrollment and yearly)
• Asthma:
  • Asthma Action Plan
• Diabetes:
  • Diabetes Medical Management Action Plan

Food Allergies

• Allergy/Anaphylaxis Action Plan (English)
• Allergy/Anaphylaxis Action Plan (Spanish)
• Special Meals Form
• Allergy Safe Zone Seating Option for Cafeteria

Seizures

• Seizure Action Plan
• Parent Questionnaire for Students with Seizures

Affordable health insurance options

• Missouri Health Care Marketplace
• MO HealthNet (Missouri Medicaid Program)

Additional Family Resources

Visit the KSD Caregiver Corner for a clearinghouse of resources to help meet the health, wellness, social and emotional needs of your family.