Communicable diseases which may afflict students range from common childhood diseases, acute and short-term in nature, to chronic, life-threatening diseases. The school district shall rely on the advice of the public health official in assessing the risk of transmission of various communicable diseases and determining how best to protect the health of both students and staff.
Management of common communicable diseases shall be in accordance with Colorado Department of Health guidelines. A student who exhibits symptoms of a communicable disease may be temporarily excluded from school attendance. The district reserves the right to require a physician's statement authorizing the student's return to school.
Students who complain of illness at school may be referred to the school nurse and may be sent home as soon as the parent or person designated on the student's emergency medical authorization form has been notified.
In all proceedings related to this policy, the district shall respect the student's right to privacy.
When information is received by a staff member or volunteer that a student is afflicted with a serious, readily-transmissible disease, the staff member or volunteer shall promptly notify the school nurse or principal who will determine appropriate measures to protect student and staff health and safety. The principal, or his or her designee, shall determine which additional members, if any, have need to know of the affected student's condition. Only those persons with direct responsibility for the care of the student shall be informed of the specific nature of his condition if it is determined there is a need for such individuals to know this information.
Parents of other children attending the school may be notified that their child has been exposed to a communicable disease without identifying the particular student who has the disease.
The superintendent or his or her designee shall initiate procedures to insure that all medical information will be kept confidential in accordance with applicable state and federal laws and school board policy. Any school staff member who violates confidentiality shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary measures.
Adopted: February 10, 1997
Revised: August 11, 2008
| Legal References: | C.R.S. 22-33-104(2)(a), Compulsory School Attendance |
| C.R.S. 22-33-106(2), Grounds for Suspension, Expulsion and Denial of Admission | |