Students with a communicable disease will be allowed to attend school as long as they are physically able to perform the tasks assigned to them and as long as their attendance does not create a substantial risk of transmission of the illness or other harm to the students or the employees. The term “communicable disease” will mean an infectious or contagious disease spread from person to person, or animal to person or as defined by law.
Prevention and control of communicable diseases is included in the school district’s bloodborne pathogens exposure control plan. The procedures will include scope and application, definitions, exposure control, methods of compliance, universal precautions, vaccination, post-exposure evaluation, follow-up, communication of hazards to employees and record keeping. This plan is reviewed annually by the superintendent and the school nurse.
The health risk to immuno-suppressed students attending school is determined by the student’s personal physician. The health risk to others in the school environment from the presence of a student with a communicable disease is determined on a case-by-case basis by the student’s personal physician, a physician chosen by the school district or public health officials.
Health data of a student is confidential and it shall not be disseminated.
It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the school nurse, to develop administrative regulations stating the procedures for dealing with students with a communicable disease.
For more information on communicable disease charts, and reporting forms, go to the Iowa Department of Public Health Web site: https://idph.iowa.gov/CADE/reportable-diseases
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Approved: 12/21/2020 Reviewed: 11/16/2020 Revised: 11/16/2020
