Health Services

Published August 4, 2011

Good health is essential to effective living and learning. The Williamson County Schools Health Services Department is committed to reducing health-related barriers to learning while providing students with a healthy environment.

Williamson County schools are staffed with at least one nurse assigned to every school in the district. Several schools have two nurses who share the position, and each school has a nurse on campus or within close proximity at all times of the school day.

"The school nurses have to prioritize their day with each school depending on the types of medical issues within the school," said Health Services Coordinator Jill Casada. "In addition to coordinating and overseeing the school clinics, the school nurses perform annual health screenings and ensure that all students are adequately immunized."

Medications

Parents need to be aware of the WCS Medication Protocol that may affect their child if their child must take medication, either prescription and/or non-prescription, during the school day. All medications, both prescription and non-prescription, must be brought in individually by them specifically for their child with the appropriate completed authorization form. The proper authorization procedure must be completed before the medication can either be administered by the student or with assistance by staff at school during the school day. This protocol applies to each individual child in every school throughout the district. Students are not allowed to carry medications in the school setting except those for use in an emergency situation and prescribed by the child's healthcare provider. Medication information and WCS authorization forms can be located on the WCS Health Services WEBSITE.

Immunizations

According to Tennessee law, students who have not met the State's immunization requirements will not be allowed to attend school. That is why parents are being urged to contact their family physician as soon as possible to make sure their child's immunization requirements have been met before the first day of school August 11.

Only the properly completed original TN Department of Health Certificate of Immunization may be accepted as part of the new student enrollment process into Williamson County Schools, and this would include any new student enrolling into a Williamson County school. New TN Department of Health Certificates of Immunization will be required also prior to the first day of attendance for WCS students entering WCS Day Care, a WCS pre-kindergarten program (if not already in compliance), kindergarten and seventh grade. Parents and guardians must receive the properly completed certificate from the TN Health Department or a healthcare provider licensed in Tennessee. Information regarding WCS/TN immunization requirements can be located on the WCS Health Services WEBSITE.

Medical Needs

If students have medical needs requiring accommodations for them to be able to participate in their education in a school setting, or needs for individualized health care plans or potential emergency medical needs requiring a plan to be in place, the school nurse will work with the student's parent/guardian and health care provider as needed to develop the plans and/or accommodations needed to ensure that the student's safety and well-being will be maintained in the school setting.

In addition, Williamson County parents must complete new health history, medication and procedure forms as the start of each school year. Again, medical forms and information can be found on the WCS Health Services WEBSITE. For questions regarding medications, procedures and authorization forms relating to these, a parent/guardian may contact the school nurse at their child's school or Health Services Coordinator Jill Casada at (615) 472-4929 or by email at jillc@wcs.edu.