Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions below. If you have a question that is not listed below, please contact our nurse.

All foods provided to students must be commercially prepared, include a full ingredient list, and meet the Smart Snack Guidelines. Home prepared foods to share are prohibited due to the increasing incidence of food allergies and the possibility of food borne illness.

The registered nurses of the district are practicing according to the Missouri Nurse Practice Act, and as a requirement may only give medications when ordered by a physician.

Per state law, any child may carry and administer emergency, life saving medications. This typically includes albuterol inhalers (for asthmatics) and epinephrine auto injectors (for severe allergic reactions). At the elementary level, we encourage students to leave theses medications with the nurse, or have them strategically located throughout the building. As students mature, we do encourage them to begin to carry their medication. Please check with your school nurse for requirements to do so.

High school students may also carry medications such as ibuprofen, but again, we require proper paperwork in place to allow this. Students may not carry any controlled substances.

The State requires schools to collect and report immunization data on all students enrolled in Rockwood. All students are to be fully immunized (according to the state guidelines) or properly exempted, which is allowed only for religious and medical reasons, once a child reaches school age. See the full State Statute. For information on religious exemptions, contact the St. Louis City or County Department of Health. For information on medical exemptions, contact your primary health care provider, or specialist.

We require a physical at initial enrollment and again upon entry to 6th grade for all students. Our physical education program involves activity for the students and a physical is our way of assuring students are able to participate in such activities, as well as recess for our elementary students. Routine adolescent immunizations may also be required for continued school attendance, hence the physical requirement at the 6th grade level.

While we encourage students to attend school whenever possible, we do realize that at times, we all get sick. To reduce the spread of illness in our schools, we require students who are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea to stay home. We also expect any student with a fever of 100 or higher to stay home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours or more, without the use of medication to reduce the fever. Any unknown rashes are also a reason to stay home and consult your physician. A student with a typical cold may come to school, although we encourage you to reinforce good hand washing and respiratory etiquette.

Cough drops contain an "active ingredient" and therefore are considered an over the counter medication. Parent permission and physician orders must be on file for students to be allowed this medication.

Head lice are common among school-aged children and carry no illness or disease, but they are a nusiance. Contact your primary health care provider for their advice. Many over-the-counter preparations are available, but there are also prescription options. Check everyone in your family for infestation. Please DO let your school nurse and parents of all close friends know so they can be on the lookout and checking their own children. Your child MAY return to school once they've been treated, but do check in with the school nurse. For more information, please visit the CDC information page.

Temperature (including wind chill or heat index)

Below 20 degrees - Stay Inside

20-95 degrees - Outside Normal Time

Above 95 degrees - Stay Inside

With cold weather, children improperly clothed should not be allowed outside. With warm weather, running should be limited and water/shade available for students. These guidelines are not the same as MSHSAA for after-school outdoor activities. They are recommendations of the Rockwood School District consulting physician with input from district administrators.

Contact Information

https://www.rsdmo.org:443/directory/Person.aspx?accountname=RCWD%5Colsonlise

LISE

OLSON

Nurse

636-891-6507

olsonlise@rsdmo.org