Health Guidelines

The administration of medication to students during regular school hours and during school-related activities is strongly discouraged unless absolutely necessary for the critical well being and health of the student. When a student’s licensed health care provider and parent/guardian believe that it is necessary for the student to take medication during school hours or school-related activities, the parent/guardian must request that the school dispense the medication to the child and otherwise follow the District’s Medication Authorization procedures on dispensing medication. 

No District employee shall administer to any student, or supervise a student’s self-administration of, any prescription or non-prescription medication until the student’s parent/guardian submits a completed and physician-signed “Medication Authorization Form.” The only exception to the policy is the “Self Administration of Asthma Medication Authorization Form,” which requires only a parent/guardian signature. No student shall possess or consume any prescription or non-prescription medication on school grounds or at a school-related function other than as provided for in the policy and its implementing procedures. The District may request annually from parents or guardians updated documentation of the child’s health condition in the form of, but not limited to, physician notes, updated authorization forms and documentation regarding such health plans related to,  Asthma, Allergy, Seizure and/or Diabetes, when applicable. 

A parent/guardian must bring any medications that are to be administered to a student at school to the office. Prescriptions must be in original packaging and a “Medication Authorization Form” must be on file in order for the medication to be given at school. Students are not permitted to self-carry medications to school unless permitted as described below. See Board Policy 7.270, Administering Medication to Students, for additional information.

A student may possess epinephrine, glucagon, or emergency seizure medication for immediate use at the student’s discretion, provided the student’s parent/guardian and physician has completed and signed the “Medication Authorization Form,” indicating the student’s permission to self-carry. A student may possess medication prescribed for asthma for immediate use at the student’s discretion, provided the student’s parent/guardian has completed and signed the “Self-Administration of Asthma Medication Authorization Form”. The School District shall incur no liability, except for willful and wanton conduct, as a result of any injury arising from a student’s self-administration of epinephrine, glucagon, emergency seizure medication, or asthma medication or the storage of any medication by school personnel. For the safety of others, students are responsible for ensuring the safe disposal of used supplies and materials from the self-administered medication and/or related medical supplies.

No one, including without limitation, parents/guardians of students should rely on the District for the availability of undesignated medication. The policy does not guarantee the availability of undesignated medications. Students and their parents/guardians should consult their own physician regarding these medication(s). 

The District may maintain a supply of undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors and provide or administer them as necessary. Undesignated epinephrine auto-injector means an epinephrine auto-injector prescribed in the name of the District or one of its schools. A school nurse or trained personnel who in good faith believes a person is having an anaphylactic reaction may administer an undesignated epinephrine auto-injector. 

The District may maintain a supply of undesignated asthma medication and provide or administer them as necessary. Undesignated asthma medication means an asthma medication prescribed in the name of the District or one of its schools. A school nurse or trained personnel who in good faith believes a person is having respiratory distress may administer undesignated asthma medication. 

The District may maintain a supply of undesignated glucagon prescribed in the name of the District or one of its schools in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. When a student’s prescribed glucagon is not available or expired, a school nurse or delegated care aide may administer undesignated glucagon only if he or she is authorized to do so by a student’s diabetes medical management plan. 

The District maintains a supply of undesignated opioid antagonists and provide or administer them as necessary. Undesignated opioid antagonist means a drug that binds to opioid receptors and blocks or inhibits the effect of opioids acting on those receptors, including, but not limited to, naloxone hydrochloride or any other similarly acting drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prescribed in the name of the District or one of its schools. A school nurse or trained personnel who in good faith believes a person is having an opioid overdose may administer undesignated opioid antagonist medication.

For information on District procedures related to the prevention and treatment of anaphylaxis, see Board Policy 7.285, Anaphylaxis Prevention, Response, and Management Program

When a school nurse or other trained personnel administers an undesignated epinephrine auto-injector to a person whom the school nurse or other trained personnel in good faith believes is having an anaphylactic reaction, administers undesignated asthma medication to a person whom the school nurse or trained personnel in good faith believes is having respiratory distress, or administers an opioid antagonist to a person whom the school nurse or trained personnel in good faith believes is having an opioid overdose, notwithstanding the lack of notice to the parents or guardians of the pupil or the absence of the parents’ or guardians’ signed statement acknowledging no liability, except for willful and wanton conduct, the school district, public school, or nonpublic school and its employees and agents and a physician, a physician assistant, or an advanced practice nurse providing standing protocol or prescription for undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors, undesignated asthma medication, or the use of an opioid antagonist, shall incur no liability or professional discipline, except for willful and wanton conduct, as a result of any injury arising from the use of an undesignated epinephrine auto-injector, the use of undesignated asthma medication, or the use of an opioid antagonist regardless of whether authorization was given by the pupil’s parents or guardians or by the pupil’s physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse. 

A student’s parent/guardian indemnify and hold harmless the District and its employees and agents against any claims, except a claim based on willful and wanton conduct, arising out of a student’s self-administration of an epinephrine auto-injector, self-administration of asthma medication, or administration of an undesignated opioid antagonist or the storage of any medication by school personnel and as a result of any injury arising from the District’s administration of asthma medication, an epinephrine auto-injector, or an opioid antagonist regardless of whether authorization was given by the pupil’s parents or guardians or by the pupil’s physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse. 

The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act allows a medical cannabis infused product to be administered to a student by one or more of the following individuals:

• A parent/guardian of a student who is a minor or another individual who registers with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as a designated caregiver to administer medical cannabis to the student. Any designated caregiver must be at least 21 years old and is allowed to administer a medical cannabis infused product to a child who is a student on the premises of his or her school or on his or her school bus if:
  • Both the student and the designated caregiver possess valid registry identification cards issued by IDPH;
  • Copies of the registry identification cards are provided to the District;
  • That student’s parent/guardian completed, signed, and submitted a School Medication Authorization Form - Medical Cannabis; and
  • After administering the product to the student, the designated caregiver immediately removes it from school premises or the school bus.
• A properly trained school nurse or administrator, who shall be allowed to administer the medical cannabis infused product to the student on the premises of the child’s school, at a school-sponsored activity, or before/after normal school activities, including while the student is in before-school or after-school care on school-operated property or while being transported on a school bus.
• The student him or herself when the self-administration takes place under the direct supervision of a school nurse or administrator.

Medical cannabis infused products include oils, ointments, foods, and other products that contain usable cannabis, but are not smoked or vaped. Smoking and/or vaping medical cannabis is prohibited. It may not be administered in a manner that, in the opinion of the District or school, would create a disruption to the educational environment or cause exposure of the product to other students. A school employee shall not be required to administer the product.

Discipline of a student for being administered a product by a designated caregiver, or by a school nurse or administrator, or who self-administers a product under the direct supervision of a school nurse or administrator is prohibited. The District may not deny a student attendance at a school solely because he or she requires administration of the product during school hours.