File: JLCC - Communicable/Infectious Diseases File: JLCC - Communicable/Infectious DiseasesThe school district is required to provide educational services to all school age children who reside within its boundaries. By law, however, admission to school may be denied to any child diagnosed as having a disease whereby attendance could be harmful to the welfare of other students.
The Board of Education recognizes that communicable diseases which may afflict students range from common childhood diseases, acute and short-term in nature, to chronic, life-threatening diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This school district shall rely on the advice of the medical community in assessing the risk of transmission of various communicable diseases to determine how best to protect the health of both students and staff.
Management of common communicable diseases shall be in accordance with Colorado Department of Health guidelines. A student who exhibits symptoms of a readily-transmissible communicable disease may be temporarily excluded from school attendance.
Students who complain of illness at school may be referred to the school nurse and may be sent home by the principal as soon as the parent/guardian or person designated on the student´s emergency medical authorization form has been notified.
The district reserves the right to require a physician's statement authorizing the student's return to school.
In all proceedings related to this policy, the district shall respect the student's right to privacy.
When information is received by a staff member or volunteer that a student is afflicted with a serious, readily-transmissible disease, the staff member or volunteer shall promptly notify the school nurse or principal to determine appropriate measures to protect student and staff health and safety. The principal shall determine which additional staff members, if any, have need to know of the affected student´s condition. Only those persons with direct responsibility for the care of the student shall be informed of the specific nature of the condition if it is determined there is a need for such individuals to know this information.
Parents of other children attending the school may be notified that their child has been exposed to a communicable disease without identifying the particular student who has the disease.
The superintendent shall initiate procedures to ensure that all medical information will be held in strict confidence. Any school staff member who violates confidentiality shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary measures.
Adopted: August 1998
LEGAL REFS.: C.R.S. 22-33-104 (2)(a)
C.R.S. 22-33-106 (2)
CROSS REFS.: EBBA, Prevention of Disease/Infection Transmission
JHD, Exclusions and Exemptions from School Attendance
JLCA, Physical Examinations of Students
JLCCA, Students with HIV/AIDS
JLCE, First Aid
JRA/JRC, Student Records/Release of Information on Students