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Welcome to Health Services

Meet your school nurse!

We are happy to support our students and families. Please use our contacts for any information regarding health and attendance.

MEYER students: Call 847-676-8360
Katie Orleans, R.N. can be reached by email at [email protected]

MIDDLETON students: Call 847-676-8020
Kim Durband, R.N. can be reached by email at [email protected]

McCRACKEN students: Call 847-676-8235
Marryann Warda, R.N. can be reached by email at [email protected]

Students should be attending school every day

blue Attendance Monitor logoNEW FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2024-2025: Sign in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account to record your child’s absence! Parents/guardians who have a PowerSchool Parent Portal account can sign in at sd735.powerschool.com and use Attendance Monitor to record their child’s absence.
 
Guardians who do not have a PowerSchool Parent Portal account must call the school before 8:00 a.m. to report a student’s absence.
  • At Meyer: call 847-673-1223, ext. 2
  • At Middleton: call 847-673-1222, ext. 2
  • At McCracken: call 847-673-1220, ext. 2

Call or use PowerSchool by 8:00 a.m. and provide the reason for absence. State law requires the school to attempt to contact you if you do not inform the school of your child’s absence. 

Absences Add Up! graphicMissed days add up quickly!

  • Just a few missed days a month adds up to several school weeks missed in a year.
  • Both excused and unexcused absences can make it more difficult for your child to keep up.

Current school health guidance

On Friday March 1, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced updated COVID-19 guidance. Skokie73.5 will follow this updated guidance for all students and staff.

Isolation requirements were changed from a minimum of 5 days to a minimum of 24 hours for symptoms or fever.

If an individual has no symptoms and no fever, then isolation is not required.

"Updated Guidance: The updated Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends that people stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both their symptoms are getting better overall, and they have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). Note that depending on the length of symptoms, this period could be shorter, the same, or longer than the previous guidance for COVID-19."

If your child has any of the following, please keep your child home from school and notify the school nurse. Students should be symptom free for 24 hours without the use of medication before returning to school.
  • fever (100.4°F or higher)
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • new rash

Should my child go to school?

Please call your building nurse with any questions or concerns.

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SYMPTOMS & ILLNESSES

SHOULD MY CHILD GO TO SCHOOL?
COVID YES.  Once your child is fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and  symptoms are improving for 24 hours. If an individual has no symptoms and no fever, then they should come to school.

Parent or family member is sick

YES. If you are sick or another family member is sick, your child still may attend school.
Your illness does not excuse your child from attending. If you need help with this please contact the building nurse.

Chronic illnesses (asthma, diabetes, sickle cell, epilepsy, etc.)
Chronic illness is a long-lasting condition that can be controlled but not cured.

YES. As long as your child’s symptoms are controlled, your child should attend school. School personnel are trained to assist children with chronic illnesses and related health care requirements.

Child doesn’t want to go to school

YES. You should keep your child in school, but try to determine what is causing the changes. Persistent indicators of distress may require support from school personnel or health care professionals.

Cold symptoms or mild cough
Stuffy nose/runny nose, sneezing, mild cough

YES. If your child is able to participate in a school day, and is fever free, they should attend school.

Menstrual issues

YES. In most cases, menstrual issues can be managed at school. If severe pain is interfering with your child attending school, consult with a health care provider.

Muscle strains or pains

YES. If there is no known injury and your child is able to function (walk, talk, eat), they should attend school. If pain is severe or doesn’t stop, consult a healthcare provider.

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

The white of the eye is pink and there is a thick yellow/green discharge.

NO. If there is discharge from the eye, your child must be evaluated by a healthcare provider before returning to school. If diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis, the child should remain home while symptomatic or until 24 hours of antibiotic treatment has been completed.

Diarrhea
Frequent loose or watery stool may mean illness but can also be caused by food and medication.
NO. Keep your child home until diarrhea has stopped for 24 hours.
Fever 100.4 or above NO. If your child has a fever of 100.4 or higher, keep them at home until their fever is below 100.4 for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
Rash with fever NO. Keep your child home if they have a new rash or rash with a fever. 

Strep Throat

Sore throat, fever, stomach ache, and red, swollen tonsils.

NO. Your child may return to school when they have completed at least 24 hours of the antibiotics and are fever free.

Vomiting

Child has vomited 2 or more times in a 24-hour period.

NO. Keep your child at home until the vomiting has stopped for 24 hours. If vomiting continues, contact a healthcare provider.

Other communicable diseases

  • Chicken Pox
  • Measles & Rubella (German Measles)
  • Mumps
  • Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
NO. Follow healthcare provider recommendations and please reach out to your school’s nurse to discuss.

Head Lice

Intense itching of the head; may feel like something is moving.

Contact school nurse. Your child will stay home from school with live lice present until the first treatment has been completed. Inform the nurse what lice treatment you have started.

Can my child take trips or vacations? Contact school nurse. Please try to schedule all travel for school breaks. Trips and vacations will be considered unexcused absences.

Health Forms and Action Plans

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entering grade

Certificate of Child Health Form & Complete Immunization Form**

State of Illinois Eye Exam Form Dental Exam Form
preschool X    
kindergarten X X X
grade 2     X
grade 6 X   X
grades 7-8
playing sports
X    
new students X X X
**Certificate of Child Health and Complete Immunizations are required before October 15th of the current year of enrollment per District 73.5 Board Policy 7:100.

Required for students in all grades annually (if applicable)

Vision and Hearing Screening

Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted, as mandated, for select populations of students annually. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s vision or hearing please contact your building nurse.

Immunization Data

In accordance with Illinois Public Act 097-0910, District 73.5 makes publicly available the immunization data for Elizabeth Meyer, John Middleton Elementary, and Oliver McCracken Middle Schools. The district is required to submit this data to the State of Illinois on an annual basis. These reports summarize compliance data related to mandated immunizations and physical examinations.