Health Services

Immunizations for every student are monitored and are required to be in compliance with the laws and regulations of the state of California. Information can be found at www.shotsforschool.org.

Immunization Requirements (English)

Immunization Requirement (Spanish)

If you need to make a physician appointment with your doctor, please note, many offices accept walk in vaccine appointments, many CVS or other pharmacies also provide vaccines, or see below a list of free and low cost walk in County clinics.

LA DPH clinics http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/phcenters.htm
A list of free and low-cost clinics
Interactive county map to locate free and low cost vaccine clinics
Parents Guide to Recommended & Required Vaccinations

For those requiring a medical exemption, the only accepted format for schools is a medical exemptions for school and child care entry issued through CAIR-ME. Parents and physicians can register and create an account in CAIR-ME at any time. Once registered, parents can log in to CAIR-ME to request a medical exemption. Parents take the exemption request number to their child’s physician who can log in to CAIR-ME to issue the exemption. Once the exemption is issued, the physician prints the two page form and provides a copy to the parents to give to their child’s school.

IMM-1363 Instructions to Request a Medical Exemption | English

Instructions to Request a Medical Exemption | Spanish

For more information please see: https://www.shotsforschool.org/laws/exemptions/

Medications (prescription medication or over-the-counter) needed during school day require a physician signed Medical Authorization Form. This will need to be completed before your child will be allowed to have medication at school.

No over-the-counter medications are kept at school (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl, etc), students are encouraged to take these medications at home whenever possible. Students are not to bring aspirin, cough drops, cough syrups, vitamins, or other over-the-counter medications to school. These may constitute a health hazard to other students.

All medications must come to school in the original container. Prescription medications must come to school in the pharmacy bottle with the attached prescription label.

Medications are kept in a locked cabinet in the Health Office.

With parent and physician authorization, students may be allowed to carry life-saving medications (Epi-pen, inhalers) or OTC medication (Tylenol, Advil) to self-treat as needed.

Students found to be carrying any medications- prescription, non-prescription, or recreational- without proper authorization will be subject to disciplinary action.

Anaphylaxis is a rapid, severe allergic response triggered by insect stings, foods, medications, latex materials, or in rare cases by unknown causes. This is a life-threatening allergic condition, requiring immediate treatment. Administering the medication epinephrine to students during a medical emergency may help to insure the student’s health and safety at school. The epinephrine auto-injector rapidly delivers a pre-measured, sterile, single dose of epinephrine by direct injection through the skin.

School districts now stock epinephrine autoinjectors (“EpiPens”) and trained personnel who have volunteered to be trained and administer them are able to assist a student who is suffering, or reasonably believed to be suffering from an anaphylactic reaction by administering this life saving medication.

Da Vinci Schools stock Epipens at each site and trained personnel are located at every front office.

Stock Epipens are intended for emergencies for those students and staff with unknown allergies or experiencing a first time exposure.

If your student has a known allergy requiring Benadryl, an Epinephrine pen, or other allergy medication, you will need to provide the school with the medication along with a medication form completed by their physician. Medication can be kept in front office, or kept with student, if authorized by physician and parent on their medication form.

**Please note: School stock Epinephrine pens do not accompany students on any field trips.

For students with life-threatening allergies, Da Vinci Schools will take all appropriate and reasonable steps to minimize exposure and provide a safe, positive educational environment. Please note, we are not a nut-free organization and students should be aware that there may be allergens in their environment. Nut-free tables for meal times are labeled and available to students at all sites.

Food Allergy Action Plan This form is completed and signed by the student's health care provider and parents. This is the plan of care school staff will follow in the event of an allergic reaction.

Anaphylaxis Health Plan (non-food) For non-food life threatening allergies, this form is completed and signed by the student's health care provider and parents.  This is the plan of care school staff will follow in the event of an allergic reaction.

Anaphylaxis Treatment: Annual Notification to Parents 

Request for Medication Authorization Form

At Da Vinci Schools, we have students who are diagnosed with Asthma. We follow a standardized protocol to ensure the proper care is provided to our students. Students who have uncontrolled asthma or additional health concerns or needs are requested to provide an Asthma Action Plan completed by the student’s primary care provider to follow at school.

Students with fast acting inhalers may carry them throughout the school day as long as their physician has signed the Medication Authorization form indicating they are independent with self-administration. All other students will have their inhalers kept in the health office, in a locked cabinet, and will be monitored/assisted when they use them.

Please have physician complete the below form must be completed to keep inhaler at school (in backpack or in Health Office).

Medication Authorization Form

• Students who test positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms MUST stay home away from others until fever free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other symptoms are mild and improving.
• Students are RECOMMENDED to wear a mask when around other people indoors for the 10 days after symptoms started or positive test. Masking is not needed if staff have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart.

• Students who test positive for COVID-19 and have no symptoms are not required to isolate but RECOMMENDED to wear a well-fitting, high-quality mask whenever around other people. Masking is not needed if the student has two sequential negative tests at least one day apart.

For more information, see Da Vinci Schools 2024 COVID FAQ.

Students with Diabetes will have an individualized health treatment plan created based upon their doctor’s orders.

Please submit a current set of School Diabetes Orders that will outline school care for one calendar year. There is no Da Vinci form, as every physician has their own set of orders.

A daily schedule will be set up for checking blood sugar and administering insulin. Office staff will monitor blood sugar levels and communicate student needs/concerns to district nurse and/or parents. The district nurse, designated staff or student will administer insulin per medical orders. Parents and staff will have fluid communication regarding the students’ diabetes management throughout the school day as needed.

Diabetes testing equipment, and insulin must be provided by the family and equipment must be well maintained. Glucose tabs, Glucagon, juice, and other treatments for low blood sugar are provided by the family as well and are kept in the health office.

Students who are independent with their diabetes management must have a doctor’s order indicating such. Parents are responsible for providing back up equipment/treatments to keep in the health office. Emergency orders must be provided by physician.

Type 1 Diabetes information:
Diabetes Type 1 Informational Letter

Type 2 Diabetes information:
Diabetes Type 2 Informational Letter

First Aid is given in school health offices as needed for incidents that happen at school. High school health offices are available to all students. An elementary health office is coming soon! Health incidents are handled by trained office managers and the school nurse.

If a student is ill or if an accident occurs at school students are to notify a teacher or school employee. The school gives first aid only to injuries occurring at school. School personnel are not authorized to treat any serious illness or injury, or to give any internal first aide medication. Should the student require further care, parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up their child. Please ensure that your contact information is kept current. Students must be signed out through the school office.

If care beyond immediate first aid is needed for school injuries or illness, we will contact the paramedics and abide by their recommendations. Parents will be contacted immediately.

If a student has been ill they must stay at home until they have not had a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting for 24 hours. Student must be fever free for 24 hours without medication.

A student with an unknown rash or reddened eye (a sign of “pink eye”) will be sent home. Student must be symptom free and/or have a physician’s note stating that they are non-contagious in order to return to school.

A physician’s note with instructions for school is required for students who return:

1. with school based medication (including inhaler, epi pen, or pain medication)
2. after serious illness for 3 or more days
3. after surgery
4. after hospitalizations (mental and physical)
5. with restrictions from class participation
6. requiring any assistance prescribed by a physician to help with student mobility (e.g., crutches, cast, wheelchair, elevator splint, bandage, etc.)

For more information see FLU INFORMATION

Students who sustain a head injury while at school will be assessed for signs and symptoms of a concussion. Students will be monitored in the office and parents will be notified. A letter will be sent home with information about signs and symptoms to monitor for.

The following signs may be observed by school staff or parents:

• Appears dazed or stunned
• Is confused about events
• Answers questions slowly
• Repeats questions
• Can’t recall events prior to the hit, bump, or fall
• Loses consciousness
• Shows behavior or personality changes
• Forgets class schedule or assignments

Students may report the following symptoms:

• Difficulty thinking clearly or concentrating
• Difficulty remembering
• Feeling sluggish, tired, fatigued
• Feeling hazy, foggy, or groggy
• Complaining of headache or “pressure” in head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Blurry or double vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Numbness of tingling
• Does not “feel right”
• Is emotional, irritable, nervous, or sad
• Feeling sleepy, drowsy, sleeps more than usual
• Having trouble falling asleep or sleeping less than usual

Parents will be notified of all known head injuries.

If staff suspects the child to have any of the above signs/symptoms, the parent/guardian will be contacted and arrangements will be made for the student to go home. Medical follow-up is advised.

*If a concussion is diagnosed by the physician, a letter from the physician with instructions for returning to school will need to be submitted. Students may have activity restrictions that teachers and staff will need to be aware of.

CCSA Concussion Fact Sheet for Parents

For individualized management of health conditions, you may be asked to complete the below form together with your child’s primary health care provider to ensure proper management of a health condition at school.

Individual Health Plan

Head lice are a nuisance, however, does not transmit disease to humans. Historically, head lice policies in schools emphasized that a child infested with head lice could not return to school until no nits were found in their hair (“no-nit” policy). There is no evidence that a no-nit policy prevents or shortens lengths of outbreaks. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association of School Nurses, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are all opponents of no-nit policies. Therefore, the California Department of Public Health recommends a “no-lice policy.”

Da Vinci Schools has adopted this “no-lice policy.” The essential components of this policy are:

• Early detection of head lice infestations through routine screenings by parents and/or caregivers
• Treatment of children found to have active/live lice
• Distribution of educational material to school staff and parents on head lice, nit combing, and treatment

DETECTION-Parents are primarily responsible for detecting head lice. Symptoms include excessive itching of the scalp and/or frequent scratching. If head lice are detected at school, the parents will be notified and the child will stay in school until the end of the day. Parents will be given information on how to treat head lice.

TREATMENT-Student should be treated for head lice that day and can return to school the next morning. Before going to class, the student will first need to be examined by the school nurse or office staff to ensure there they no longer have active/live head lice. The student can return to class if no live lice are seen.

For more information:

HeadLice CDPH School Guidance

A Parent’s Guide to Head Lice

Vision and hearing screenings are conducted in compliance with California Education Code. They are done in kindergarten, 2nd grade, 5th grade, and 8th grade or by teacher or student self-referral. Parents are notified by letter only when their student did not pass the screening.

Students who have an active seizure disorder will have their physician complete a Seizure Action Plan. The school nurse also needs to be informed of all students who have a history of seizures.

For students who have Diastat prescribed, the Request for Medication Authorization form will need to be completed by the doctor and parent.

We follow a standardized seizure treatment protocol in the event any student has a seizure at school.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is when the heart stops beating, suddenly and unexpectedly.  When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs.  SCA is not a heart attack; it is a malfunction in the heart’s electrical system, causing the victim to collapse.  The malfunction is caused by a congenital or genetic defect in the heart’s structure.  SCA is more likely to occur during exercise or sports activity, so athletes are at greater risk. These symptoms can be unclear and confusing in athletes. Often, people confuse these warning signs with physical exhaustion. If not properly treated within minutes, SCA is fatal in 92 percent of cases.

In a school district, charter school, or private school that elects to conduct athletic activities, the athletic director, coach, athletic trainer, or authorized person must remove from participation a pupil who passes out or faints, or who is known to have passed out or fainted, while participating in or immediately following an athletic activity.  A pupil who exhibits any of the other symptoms of SCA during an athletic activity may be removed from participation if the athletic trainer or authorized person reasonably believes that the symptoms are cardiac related.  A pupil who is removed from play may not return to that activity until he or she is evaluated by, and receives written clearance from a physician or surgeon. On a yearly basis, an acknowledgement of receipt and review of information regarding SCA must be signed and returned by the pupil and the pupil’s parent or guardian before a pupil participates in specific types of athletic activities which generally does not apply to those conducted during the regular school day or as part of a physical education course.

More info can be found on the Mayo Clinic website.

School volunteers who have “frequent or prolonged” contact wih students must submit an Adult-Tuberculosis (TB) Risk Assessment Questionnaire to the Front Office at their child’s school, or have a TB skin test performed by their medical provider every 4 years and submit the results to the Office at their child’s school.

Staff must submit an Adult-Tuberculosis (TB) Risk Assessment Questionnaire (or have a TB skin test performed) every 4 years. Staff may go to their health care provider or contact the District School Nurse for completion of the form.

More information may be found at California Department of Public Health.

These links have instructions of how to access Medi-Cal and Covered California by phone or email. [English version Spanish version]

Covered California offers free, local, in-person enrollment help, online chat, and telephone assistance in thirteen languages as well as for the hearing-impaired. If you call or email there will be someone to help you understand what is available to you and your family and help you through the process of registration.

As you are aware, a child’s health is critical to their academic success. In addition, research has shown that children with health coverage are less likely to be absent from school due to illness and are more prepared to attend school ready-to-learn.

If you have any questions related to the above information, please contact the district nurse Emily Green at egreen@davincischools.org.

General Drug Awareness and Crisis Resources

• Recover LA Mobile App Recover LA Link
  • Free mobile app. Provides education and resources for those seeking substance use services for themselves or others. Available in 13 languages.
• Substance Abuse Service Helpline (SASH) 1-844-804-7500
  • Toll-free 24/7 helpline. Anyone may call. Clinicians/Counselors conduct a screening and connect the caller to a treatment provider.The SASH operator will connect you with a treatment provider or provides you with a referral option(s)
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) 988 Call & Text 24 hours per day/ 7 days a week
  • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Department of Mental Health (DMH) Access Hotline (800) 854-7771 24 hours per day/ 7 days a week
  • 24/7 Mental Health Services include screening, assessment, referral & crisis counseling

Fentanyl Resources for Parents

• CHOC - What parents should know about Fentanyl
• NIDA: Fentanyl - Drug Facts (English)
• NIDA: Fentanilo - Drug Facts (Español)
• CDC: What You Need to Know About Naloxone
• Documentary: Dead on Arrival Video Link
• SAMHSA’s “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign podcast, “What Parents Are Saying — Prevention Wisdom, Authenticity, and Empowerment,”

• Soluna - Service Search by findhelp - Search and Connect to Social Care (solunaapp.com)
• One Degree | Community resources near you (1degree.org)

Emergency preparedness includes fire, earthquake and lockdown drills that happen at regular times during the school year. All alarms are treated as real. In the event of a fire or earthquake, an alarm will sound and all staff, students, and visitors are required to complete an orderly and safe evacuation from the classrooms and building. Staff and students will meet in pre-assigned areas, and will remain there until all students are accounted for and instructed to return to the building or move to a safer area.

Parents, guardians and other family members should report to your student’s school where you will be given information related to where you can pick up your student.

Emergency preparedness for potentially dangerous intruders include lockdown drills held at regular intervals during the school year. In the event of an intruder on campus, students and staff will shelter in place (most likely in the classroom) until it is safe for them to move about campus.

In the case of major emergency, such as a significant earthquake or fire, or once it is safe to release students from a lockdown drill, parents, guardians and other family members, should report to your student’s school where you will be given information related to where you can pick up your student.

Children will be with their classroom and by grade level. Trained personnel will be at the gate to assist you and focus on ensuring all students are safe and accounted for.

Children will be released only to those names appearing on the registration form. This is why staff asks you to keep us informed of any changes that occur and to keep the registration current.

*Please notify the school office immediately with any changes in address, phone numbers, employment, or emergency information. Should an emergency arise, we must be able to reach you.