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Health Services

The health office is located in the general office area. The nurse’s office hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The school nurse is available to coordinate and provide care for our students.

Student must have a pass from their teacher before reporting to the health office, unless it is an emergency. If a student wants to come to the health office between classes, he/she must obtain a pass from the teacher of the next hour’s class.

Students may not leave school or arrange for their own ride home without first reporting to the nurse. The school nurse will assess the illness and call if necessary.

Prescription medication brought to school must be turned into the health office upon school arrival. District policy states the following rules regarding prescription medication administration at school:

Portrait of School Nurse Hilary Gallaher

Contact

Hilary Gallaher,
VMSS School Nurse

952-431-8784
Hilary.Gallaher@district196.org

Healthy students are successful students

Our school staff provide a variety of services that support a healthy learning community. We are committed to providing students with health conditions access to their education by facilitating their independence and creating a community of support by working collaboratively with the student, their family and district staff. School nurses promote optimal student health for optimal learning. 

Establish healthy habits early to ensure your child’s success

Instilling healthy habits and routines (adequate sleep/nutrition) and consistent attendance ensures a student’s success in school even as early as kindergarten. We know that too many absences/tardies, for whatever reason, can cause children to fall behind both academically and socially.

To help ensure healthy habits consult with your health care provider regarding well-visits and immunizations, as well as maintain good hygiene. Also:

  • Get the appropriate vaccines.
  • Wash your hands frequently.
  • Practice physical distancing from members outside your household, when appropriate (staying more than 6 feet apart).
  • Stay home if you are sick (so you do not spread the illness to other people).
  • Use a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your arm, not your hand and turn away from other people.
  • Use single-use tissues. Dispose of the tissue immediately.
  • Wash your hands after coughing, sneezing or using tissues.
  • If working with children, have them play with hard surface toys that can be easily cleaned and disinfected.
  • Do not touch your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands (viruses can enter your body from unwashed hands).
  • Do not share cups, glasses, dishes, cutlery, cigarettes or cellphones.
  • When recommended by public health authorities, wear a non-medical mask when in a public space and physical distancing cannot be maintained.

The school district will follow the guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health for recommended exclusion and notification for vaccine-preventable diseases including coronivirus, mumps, measles, rubella, pertussis, diphtheria, viral hepatitis, chickenpox and meningitis. Families will not be notified and students are not excluded for lice, pink eye or strep throat.

Community Clinics

We are fortunate to have two community health clinics in Dakota County to support children and families who are in need of minor and routine health care services. Please see the links below if you are looking for routine physicals, sports or camp physicals, initial mental health screenings, and other basic health care needs. All families welcome regardless of insurance status.

 

Health office resources

Talking about COVID-19

Information provided by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Thoughts, Emotions and Coping with Stress

Resources