Health Services

HISD Prepares for Flu Season

1. Staying home when sick-HISD requires that individuals with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8° C] or greater), or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications. This includes staff and students. Any student or staff member with a flu-like illness will not be allowed to return to school or work until he/she is fever-free for 24 hours.
2. Separate ill students and staff- Sick students and staff will be required to stay home. Any students and staff who appear to have an influenza-like illness at arrival or become ill during the day will be promptly separated from other students and staff and sent home. Staff members who care for persons with known, probable, or suspected influenza or influenza-like illness will use appropriate personal protective equipment.
3. Hand hygiene- All students and staff will wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective at killing flu germs and will be used as needed. School staff will provide the time needed for all students and staff to wash their hands whenever necessary.
4. Respiratory etiquette-All students and staff will wash hands with soap and water promptly after coughing or sneezing. If a tissue is not immediately available, coughing or sneezing into one’s arm or sleeve (not into one’s hand) is recommended. All students and staff will have access to tissues.
5. Routine cleaning-School personnel will regularly clean all areas and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact (for example, keyboards or desks) and will also clean these areas immediately when visibly soiled. There will also be diligent daily cleaning of door knobs, bathroom stall walls, commode handles, etc., and all HISD busses.
6. Early treatment for high-risk students and staff- People at high risk for influenza complications who become ill with influenza-like illness should speak with their health care provider as soon as possible. Early treatment with antiviral medications is very important for people at high risk because it can prevent hospitalizations and deaths. HISD schools encourage ill staff and parents of ill students at higher risk of complications from influenza to seek early treatment. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, including pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and kidney disease.

HISD Se prepara para la Estación de la Gripe

1. Quedándose en casa cuando enfermo-HISD requiere que los individuos con influenza-semejante enfermedad permanezcan en casa hasta por lo menos 24 horas después de que ellos están libre de la fiebre (100° F [37.8° C] o mayor), o señales de una fiebre, sin el uso de medicamentos para reducir la fiebre. Esto incluye al personal y estudiantes. Cualquier estudiante o miembro del personal con un gripe- semejante enfermedad no se permitirán regresar a la escuela o trabajar hasta que el/ella sea libre de fiebre por 24 horas.
2. Separar estudiantes y personal enfermos - Se requerirá que los estudiantes y personal se queden en casa. Cualquier estudiante y personal que parecen tener un influenza-semejante enfermedad al llegar o se enferma durante el día se separará rápidamente de otros estudiantes y personal y se enviará a casa. Miembros del personal que cuidan a las personas con la influenza conocida, probable, o sospechosa o influenza-semejante enfermedad usaran equipos de protección personal apropiados.
3. Higiene de las manos- Todos los estudiantes y personal lavarán sus manos a menudo con jabón y agua, especialmente después de toser o estornudar. Alcohol-basadas limpiadores de la mano también son eficaces en matar los gérmenes de la gripe y se usarán como necesitado. El personal escolar proporcionará el tiempo necesitado para todos los estudiantes y personal para lavar sus manos siempre que sea necesario.
4. Etiqueta Respiratoria-Todos los estudiantes y personal lavarán las manos con jabón y agua rápidamente después de toser o estornudar. Si un pañuelo no está inmediatamente disponible, tosiendo o estornudando en el brazo de uno o manga (no en la mano de uno) se recomienda. Todos los estudiantes y personal tendrán el acceso a los pañuelos.
5. Limpieza de Rutina-El personal de la escuela limpiará todas las áreas y artículos que más probablemente tienen contacto frecuente de las manos (por ejemplo, teclados o escritorios) y también limpiará inmediatamente estas áreas cuando visiblemente ensuciado. También habrá diariamente limpieza diligente de perillas, paredes de establo de baño, manilla del inodoro, etc., y todos los autobuses de HISD.
6. El tratamiento temprano para los estudiantes y personal de alto riesgo - Las personas al alto riesgo para complicaciones de la influenza que se enfermaran con influenza-semejante enfermedad deben hablar lo más pronto posible con su proveedor de cuidado de salud. El tratamiento temprano con los medicamentos antivirales es muy importante para las personas en el alto riesgo porque puede prevenir hospitalizaciones y muertes. Las escuelas de HISD animan al personal enfermo y padres de estudiantes enfermos al riesgo de complicaciones superiores de la influenza buscar el tratamiento temprano. Esto incluye a las personas 65 años y mayor, niños menores que cinco años de edad, mujeres embarazadas, y las personas de cualquier edad con ciertas condiciones médicas crónicas, incluso el embarazo, diabetes, enfermedad del corazón, asma y enfermedad del riñón.

HISD Health and Wellness Policy

HISD Healthy Handbook

Immunization Requirements

Health Clinic Information

Exemptions to Immunization Requirements:

Sample letter for requesting an exemption form:

• PDF Format
• MS Word Format
• Online exemption form request

Guidelines for Requesting an Exemption for Reasons of Conscience

• Hand-delivered requests may be submitted to the DSHS, Immunization Branch, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. ALL affidavit forms will be mailed to you via U.S. Postal Service. No requests will be filled at the time of hand-delivery.
• Affidavit form requests will be processed and mailed within one week from the receipt of the request. If additional information is needed in order to process the affidavit, you will be notified.
• The letter must include the following information:
  • Full name of each child for whom a form is requested (first, middle, and last);
  • Date of birth of each child for whom a form is requested;
  • Parent or legal guardian's signature and complete return mailing address, including zip code; and
  • Number of forms needed for each child (not to exceed five forms per child)
• Electronic mail or telephone requests cannot be processed.
• The official Texas Department of State Health Services affidavit form must be notarized and submitted to school officials. The form must be submitted within 90 days from the date it is notarized.
• The school will accept only official affidavit forms developed and issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Immunization Branch. No other forms or reproductions will be allowed.

School Health Advisory Committee

TSHAC Guiding Principles

• Assuring a healthy future for all
    Texans will guide the work of this committee.
• To that end, we will work to
    Support a healthy and safe school
    environment that fosters learning.
• We will dedicate our efforts to goals that will produce
    Healthier minds and bodies through effective school
    health education and services.
• Achieving
    Academic success by providing leadership to those
    who teach and empower our students will be our
    sustaining and overarching charge.
• We will champion the practice of
    Coordinated School Health to effectively reach our
    goals and objectives through the eight components
    of coordinated school health programming.