Skip To Main Content

Menu Trigger Container

Nav utility header

Navigation

Schools

Header Container

District Navigation

Search Continer

Menu Trigger Container

Landing-nav, don't delete

Nurse News

Welcome to fall! Time for football, falling leaves, pumpkin spice everything, and just a few notes:

Medications

As we move into the season of colds, flu and viruses galore, please remember that students are not able to carry any medications in their backpacks. This includes cough drops, Tylenol/ibuprofen, or cold medications. We can administer these medications in the nurse’s office if we have a doctor’s order and a new unopened package of the medication as outlined in board policy JLCD. Please let your nurse know if you have any questions or concerns.

Illness Practices

If your student is ill and it is not COVID, please remember these guidelines for return to school:

  • They must be fever free with no medications (Tylenol or Ibuprofen) for 24 hours
  • It must be 24 hours from the last time they vomited or had diarrhea
  • If they are diagnosed with strep throat, they must have been on antibiotics for a full 24 hours
  • Their symptoms should have improved to a point that they feel well enough to focus and participate for the entire school day without another dose of medication

If you have any question about whether your student is well enough to return, View the Colorado Department of Public Health’s  "HOW SICK IS TOO SICK?" or "¿QUE TAN ENFERMO ES DESMASIADO ENFERMO?", or call the nurse.

COVID

The new COVID vaccine is now available. This shot has components of both the original COVID vaccine as well as Omicron specific components. This vaccine does not take the place of the original 2 shot series. The requirements for this vaccine are:

  • Individuals must be 12 and over for the Pfizer vaccine and 18 and over for the Moderna vaccine.
  • An individual’s last COVID vaccine must have been at least 2 months before
  • If you have recently tested positive for COVID, it is recommended that you wait 2-3 months from the diagnosis before receiving a booster
  • To find a vaccine location near you, contact your health care provider or visit El Paso County Public Health's Vaccine information page.

It is expected that the age requirement will lower to include elementary aged students soon, but there is not yet a timeframe for this. If you have questions please contact your health care provider or nurse Kim

If your student or anyone in your family tests positive for COVID please notify the school and the school nurse will discuss next steps with you. This year COVID exclusion will be similar to what they were at the end of last year.

  • If someone in the household tests positive for COVID, students who are not having symptoms may continue coming to school but will need to wear a mask.
  • If the student(s) begin having symptoms themselves, they will stay home for 5 days and then may return on day 6 if symptoms have resolved. The student must wear a mask at school for an additional 5 days.
    • If the student has symptoms but has received a negative COVID test and a different diagnosis (strep, influenza, etc.) from a physician, they may return in the time frame given by the physician or in CDPHE’s guidelines "How Sick is too Sick?" which can be found halfway down the Student Health page of the FFC8 website. Please call the school nurse for questions and clarification.
  • Home COVID tests will be accepted this year, but if there is any question or confusion regarding a home test result, a COVID test through the district or a physician may be requested

The district is continuing to offer free COVID Antigen testing for staff, students and families. Please call the school and schedule an appointment. PCR tests will not be available in the district this year.

Lotion and Lip Balm

It is that season again. Hands and lips get chapped and painful. There is hypoallergenic lotion and individual lip balm in the nurse’s office that all student’s may come and use. If you would like to provide lotion and lip balm for your student, they are allowed to bring lotion and lip balm in their backpacks, however, they may not share with others (due to germ sharing and potential allergies) and it cannot be a distraction in class or it may be held by the teacher until the end of the day.

Clothes and Shoes

As we move into fall, our mornings are quite cool but it is still quite warm by the afternoon. Please send your student with a jacket or sweater in the morning as needed and lighter clothes underneath for those balmy afternoons.

If your child is wearing sandals or ‘fancy’ shoes to school, consider sending sneakers along as well in case they forgot they have PE or if they want to play soccer at recess. Just slip the sneakers and a pair of socks in your student’s backpack, and they will be given time to change if needed.

Please feel free to call Nurse Kim with any questions or concerns. Have a great fall and stay warm and healthy!