A.  Inoculations of Students

All students accepted by the organization are required to be in compliance with state programs mandating immunization against specific diseases. Failure to comply with the state requirements will result in the students being unable to attend classes, and receiving unexcused absences, until proof of compliance is provided.

The school operations manager shall institute procedures for the maintenance of health records, which are to show the immunization status of every student enrolled, and for the completion of all necessary reports in accordance with guidelines prepared by the Florida Department of Health.
 

B.  Students with Communicable Diseases

A student shall not attend school-sponsored activities, if the student (1) has, or has been exposed to, an acute (short duration) or chronic (long duration) communicable disease, and (2) is liable to transmit the communicable disease, unless the school operations manager or its designee has determined, based upon medical evidence, that the student:

1. No longer has the disease.
2. Is not in the contagious or infectious stage of an acute disease.
3. Has a chronic communicable disease that poses little risk of transmission in the school environment with reasonable precautions.

The school’s decisions involving students who have communicable diseases shall be based on current and well-informed medical judgments concerning the disease, the risks of transmitting the illness to others, the symptoms and special circumstances of each student who has a communicable disease, and a careful weighing of the identified risks and the available alternative for responding to a student with a communicable disease.

Communicable diseases include, but are not limited to, measles, influenza, viral hepatitis-A (infectious hepatitis), viral hepatitis-B (serum hepatitis), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection), AIDS, AIDS-Related Complex (ARC), leprosy, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), including the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus), COVID-19, and tuberculosis. The school may choose to broaden this definition within its best interest and in accordance with information received through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

School officials may require any child suspected of having a communicable disease to be examined by a physician and may exclude the child from school-sponsored activities, in accordance with the procedures authorized by this policy, so long as there is a substantial risk of transmission of the disease.

A student who has a communicable disease, and who is permitted to attend school-sponsored activities, may be required to do so under specified conditions. Failure to adhere to the conditions will result in the student being excluded from school-sponsored activities. A student who has a communicable disease and who is not permitted to participate in school activities will be provided instruction in an alternative educational setting in accordance with the organization’s policy.

Students with acute or chronic communicable diseases and their families have a right to privacy and confidentiality. Only staff members who have a medical reason to know the identity and condition of such students will be informed. Willful or negligent disclosure of confidential information about a student's medical condition by staff members will be cause for disciplinary action.

The organization will implement reporting and disease outbreak control measures as necessary if a communicable disease seems to be spreading amongst the student body.

Please refer to the Family Handbook for information and specific instructions regarding the school’s handling of lice infestations. According to the CDC, head lice are not known to transmit any disease and therefore are not considered a health hazard. Parents or guardians will be informed when a student reports to the office with a possible lice infestation.

C.  Student Physical Examination

The organization may require any student to be examined by a physician for the purpose of determining whether the student is afflicted with a communicable disease or have the liability of transmitting the disease.

The organization may also require certification from a physician indicating a student's fitness to participate in specific educational programs or extra-class activities.

Refusal on the part of parent/guardian to obtain the required examination and to submit the certification indicating freedom from communicable disease may result in student exclusion from school-sponsored activities.

Students may be excused from engaging in required educational activities upon proper certification from a physician advising of student disability.

All costs of physical or other examinations shall be at the expense of students unless state or federal law specifically mandates the examination to be the responsibility of the school.

 Adopted: June 28, 2024