The mission of the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District Nursing Service Program is to enhance the educational environment of each student by preventing, limiting, and removing health-related barriers to learning and to promote decision making that leads to each student’s optimal level of wellness.

Although the primary responsibility for the well-being of the student resides with the parent/guardian, the School District shares in that responsibility by providing for the health, illness, and emergency needs of the student during the regular school day, including curricular and co-curricular activities.

The School District recognizes that a healthy child can more fully realize the attainment of her/his individual educational objectives.

Our School District Health program is designed to improve, protect, and promote the health of each child.

The Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District is currently serviced by one registered nurse. School secretaries monitor the basic first-aid stations and administer medications when the school nurse is not available. Each school/complex has two designated staff certified in CPR/first-aid.

1.    Stay home when sick:  If your child is experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, or has a fever, please keep them home. Students may return to school 24 hours after the last episode of fever/diarrhea/vomiting has resolved without the use of medication, and they are feeling well enough to participate. Please view the Wisconsin Department of Instruction’s, “Too Sick for School” flyer here.

2.    Reportable Illness: If your child has a reportable illness, as determined by Wisconsin Department of Health Services, promptly notify the School Nurse or School Secretary.  Reportable illness is indicated on the DHS chart here with an exclamation point icon (!).

3.    Medical Provider Visits:  If your child is seen by a medical provider for any reason, please obtain a school excuse/restriction letter for the absence.

Students should not carry any medication on his or her person except for physician-approved inhalers or epinephrine auto injectors. All medication should be secured in the health office.

Over-the-Counter Medications

• The school medication/procedure form must be filled out completely and signed by the parent/guardian. Medication forms are available on the school website and at your local clinic.

• Over-the-counter medication must be in the original container with the student’s name printed on the bottle or box. No expired medication will be given. All medication will be sent home at the end of the school year.

• The exact dosage must be written on the medication permission form and match that on the container regarding age, weight, etc. of the student. 

Prescription Medications

• The school medication/procedure form must be filled out completely and signed by the parent/guardian AND the medical provider. Medication forms are available on the school website and at your local clinic.

• Prescription medications must be supplied in the original pharmacy-issued container. The label must include the student’s name, the name of prescription medication, the dose, the effective date, and the directions in a legible format. All medication will be sent home at the end of the school year.

The following medication questions/answers were provided by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. 

1. How must nonprescription/over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications be sent to school? 

OTC medications must be supplied by the pupil’s parent or guardian in the original manufacturer’s package. The package must list the ingredients and recommended therapeutic dosage in a legible format. Prescription medications must be supplied by the pupil’s parent or guardian in the original pharmacy-labeled package. The package must list the name of prescription medication, the dose, the effective date, and the directions in a legible format.

2. What documentation is required for a school to administer medications?

OTC medications: Administration of nonprescription medications to a pupil requires written consent and instructions from the pupil’s parent or guardian (Wis. Stat. sec. 118.29(2)(1-2)). Administration of nonprescription medications to a pupil in a dosage other than the recommended therapeutic dose may be done only if the written request to do so is also accompanied by the written approval of the pupil’s practitioner (Wis. Stat. sec. 118.29(2)(1)(b)). Practitioner is defined as a physician, dentist, optometrist, physician assistant, advanced practice nurse prescriber, or podiatrist.

Prescription medications: Administration of prescription medications to a pupil requires written instructions from a medical practitioner, as well as parent or guardian consent.

Medication Form – Use this form for any prescription or over-the-counter medications that you would like to have administered to your child during the school day.  Please review the medication administration guidelines for additional information.

Kindergarten Medical Exam Form – This form is sent home with current 4K students in the Spring.  It should be filled out by a medical provider prior to the start of kindergarten.

Immunization Requirements – This is a list of the childhood immunizations required by WI state law, prior to attendance in school.

Immunization Record – This form can be used to submit your child’s immunization record to school.  If you choose to submit a waiver for vaccination, you will find that information toward the bottom of this form.

Wisconsin Childhood Communicable Disease Chart - https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p4/p44397.pdf

Trempealeau County Health Department - https://co.trempealeau.wi.us/departments/health_department/index.php

Center for Disease Control and Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov