Marion ISD

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the recommendations for quarantine on Friday, 3/1/24. Marion ISD will continue to follow CDC’s recommendations for the health and welfare of all of our students and staff.  We continue to ask for the support of our entire Bulldog community: if you are sick, please stay home. District policy requires students and staff to stay home until they are fever free or at least 24 hours without fever reducing medications (such as tylenol or motrin). Please be aware that medications such as, “Cold and Flu” medications, may contain tylenol or motrin and will mask a fever.

• CDC Quarantine Change:
  • Individuals that are positive for COVID-19 are to stay home and away from others until they have been fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medications, and their symptoms have improved.

You can view the complete CDC news release at  CDC News

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your campus nurse.

The thought of lice makes everyone’s head itch! No one chooses to have lice in their child’s hair or in their home. Lice, however, are not responsible for the spread of any diseases, they are simply a nuisance. Many schools in the past have had “no nit policies”. Evidence-based research has shown that these policies are NOT effective in controlling the spread of lice in schools. In fact, they do more harm than good by keeping students out of school for prolonged periods of time. If careful observation indicates that a student has head lice, the Campus Nurse will contact the student’s parent to determine whether the child will need to be picked up from school and to discuss a plan for treatment. Students may return to school after their first lice treatment has been done at home.

Facts about LICE:
– Having Head Lice is NOT a sign of uncleanliness or poor hygiene.
– Nits are lice eggs and can be found close to the scalp as they require the heat
from the scalp to hatch; Look like tiny oval white to yellow dots
– Nymphs are baby lice
– Adult Lice are no bigger than a sesame seed and a brownish tan
– Lice cannot hop, jump, or fly
– Lice move from person to person through close bodily contact
– Live Lice need warmth and blood supply to live
– Lice cannot survive more than 48 hours without warmth and a blood supply
– Live Lice and Nits do NOT carry diseases
– In most cases, a person has had lice for 3-4 weeks before it is identified

Treatment for LICE:
– There are a variety of treatments available for lice
– Over the counter: Nix & Rid or Prescription medication
– Read and follow all instructions on medications
– Thorough treatment includes combing through the hair with a special lice comb every day for several days to remove the nits
– Retreatment with a medicated lice shampoo is often needed 7-10 days after the initial treatment to kill any newly hatched lice
– Don’t use a hair dryer on your child’s hair after applying any of the currently
available scalp treatments (some contain flammable ingredients)
– Don’t use a cream rinse or shampoo/conditioner combination before applying the lice medication
– Don’t wash your child’s hair for 1-2 days after using a medicated treatment
– Don’t use more than one head lice medication at a time

– Don’t use the same medication more than three times on one person. If it
doesn’t seem to be working, contact your child’s doctor
– Wash and Dry clothing, bed linens and other items the infected person wore or used during the 2 days before treatment. Use hot water and the high heat drying cycle
– Items that cannot be washed (to include stuffed animals) can be sealed in a
plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks
– There is no need to fumigate or spray the house as they do not live in cracks and crevices in the house

Additional Resources:

Parasites/Lice

En Espanol:

If your child is sent home from school with a fever (temperature of 100 degrees or higher) or diarrhea, the child MUST remain home from school until they are fever free or diarrhea free for at least 24 hours without medications to reduce the fever or diarrhea.

If your child is sent home from school with vomiting, or other viral/flu like symptoms, it is requested that the child remain home from school until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved (without the use of medication). This may help prevent your child’s illness from making other children ill. A student with pink eye may return to school after any prescribed therapy is implemented, except when accompanied with another systemic illness. Students with bacterial or viral conjunctivitis should remain home if their behavior is such that they cannot avoid close contact with other students. Students with allergic conjunctivitis are not contagious and may remain in school.

Medications should be given at home when possible. The district will not purchase medication to give to a student.

Authorized employees of the district may administer medications under these circumstances:

• Prescription medication, in the original, properly labeled container, provided by the parent/guardian, properly filled out medication authorization form provided by the school nurse
• Non-prescription medication, in the original, properly labeled, unopened container, provided by the parent/guardian, with properly filled out medication authorization form provided by the school nurse
• FDA-approved herbal substances or dietary supplements provided by the parent/guardian only if required by the student’s individualized education program (IEP), Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP), or Section 504 plan for a student with disabilities, properly filled out medication authorization form from the school nurse

A parent/guardian must fill out the medication authorization form available from the school nurse in order for any medication to be administered at school. Over the counter medication taken longer than 10 consecutive school days requires a physician order/signature (including cough drops). Herbal supplements, vitamins, essential oils, and bug spray will not be administered to students by the nurse or any staff member. If bug spray or sunscreen is needed, please apply at home before school.  Please see the Student Handbook for specific sunscreen information.  A physician signature is required for any exception to district rules.

Students cannot transport medication back and forth to school due to an increased potential for its misuse while in the student’s possession. A responsible adult must bring all medications to the clinic. If this presents difficulties for you, please contact the campus nurse with a plan for alternate arrangements in transportation of your child’s medication. If a student brings medication to school, the medication will not be administered and the parent will be contacted to arrange for pickup of the medication. Over the counter medication will not be given longer than ten consecutive school days without a physician order/signature. When prescription medications are empty, the empty labeled container can be sent home with the student or properly discarded. 

At the end of the school year notification will be provided, informing parents/guardians to pick up medications by the last day of school. Any medications (prescription or over the counter) that are not picked up by the last day of the school year, or specific arrangements have not been made with the Campus Nurse, medication will be discarded by the District Nurse IAW policy. Medications cannot be left over the summer to be given next year.

Secondary students who suffer from asthma or diabetes and have written permission from parent/guardian and the physician or licensed health care provider, may be permitted to possess and administer prescribed medications at school or school-related events.

Medication Authorization Form

Methodist Healthcare Ministries offers a School-Based Health Center for students and siblings of Marion ISD. 

Please see the link below: 

Methodist Healthcare Ministries Website

School Based Health Center at Schertz Elementary

757 Curtiss Ave. Schertz TX 78154

Phone: 210-658-4875

Students are screened in Pre-K, K, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grades for vision and hearing. All transfer students are screened for vision and hearing regardless of grade. Students may also be screened on request.  Students will be referred by a written referral to the parent/guardian for assessment by a qualified physician for any concerns.

School-based spinal screening helps identify adolescents with abnormal spinal curvature at an early stage when the curve is mild and may go unnoticed. Early detection is key to controlling spinal deformities. Spinal screening is noninvasive and conducted in accordance with the most recent nationally accepted and peer-reviewed standards. All students who meet the Texas Department of State Health Services criteria will be screened for abnormal spinal curvature before the end of the school year. As appropriate, students will be referred for follow-up with their physician. For information on spinal screening by an outside professional or exemption from spinal screening based on religious beliefs, contact the Campus Nurse. Students are screened for Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) in the 5th and 7th grade for girls and the 8th grade for boys. A letter is sent home to parents providing information. Any concerns with this screening may be discussed with the Campus Nurse. Students will be referred by a written referral to the parent/guardian for assessment by a qualified physician for any concerns.

A screening for Acanthosis Nigricans (AN) is performed in conjunction with vision, hearing and spinal screenings and with all transfer students. Acanthosis Nigricans is an indicator of insulin resistance and may indicate Type 2 Diabetes (or be a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes).  Students will be referred by a written referral to the parent/guardian for assessment by a qualified physician for any concerns. It is important that any referral sent home is returned after the student has seen their provider so the Campus Nurse can update your student’s records with the provider’s findings and interventions.

The Campus Nurse has information on all of the above for any parent’s/guardian’s requests. A student is exempt from screening assessment if it conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination of which the student is an adherent or a member.

Students are screened according to mandated school health programs set by the Texas Department of Health and the State Board of Education.

[See Marion ISD Board Policy FFAA (LOCAL): WELLNESS AND HEALTH SERVICES FFAA PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS]

DTAP: Diphtheria, Tetanus and Acellular Pertussis (Whooping Cough); Records may indicate DTaP, TdaP, DTP, DT, or Td

•      Pre-K only: 4 doses of DTaP vaccine.
•      K-6th grade: 4 or 5 doses of DTaP vaccine with 1 dose received ON or AFTER the 4th birthday.  For students over the age of 7, 3 doses meet the requirements if 1 dose was received on or after the 4th birthday.
•      7th grade: 1 additional dose of Tdap is required IF at least 5 years have passed since the last dose of Tetanus-containing Vaccine.
•      8th-12 grade: 1 additional dose of Tdap/Td is required IF 10 years have passed since the last dose of Tetanus-containing Vaccine.

Polio: Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV); Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)

• Pre-K only: 3 doses of Polio
• K-12th grade: 3 or 4 doses of Polio with 1 dose received ON or AFTER the 4th birthday.

3)Hep B: Hepatitis B Vaccine

•     Pre-K only: 3 doses of Hep B
•      K-12th grade: 3 doses.  For ages 11-15 years, 2 doses meet the requirement IF the adult Hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax®) was received.  Dosage and type of vaccine (Recombivax®) must be clearly documented.

Hep A: Hepatitis A Vaccine

•      Pre-K only: 2 doses of Hep A.
•      K-11th grade: 2 doses. The first dose must be received ON or AFTER the 1st birthday.

MMR: Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine (combined)

• Pre-K only: 1 dose of MMR ON or AFTER the 1^st birthday.
•  K-12th grade: 2 doses. The first dose must be received ON or AFTER the 1st birthday. Students vaccinated prior to 2009 with 2 doses of Measles and 1 dose of each Mumps and Rubella satisfy this requirement.

Varicella: Chickenpox Vaccine

• Pre-K only: 1 dose of Varicella ON or AFTER the 1^st birthday.
•  K-12th grade: 2 doses. The first dose must be received ON or AFTER the 1st birthday.

Hib: Haemophilus influenzae type b

• Pre-K only: 3 doses of Hib.
• K-12 grade: NO requirement for Hib. 

PCV: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

• Pre-K only: 4 doses of PCV.
• K-12 grade: NO requirement for PCV

 Meningococcal: Meningitis Vaccine (MCV4)

• 7-12th grade: 1 dose of Quadrivalent Meningococcal conjugate vaccine is required ON or AFTER the 11th birthday.  If the student received the vaccine at 10 years of age, this will satisfy this requirement.

Students are screened for vision and hearing in Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades.
All transfer students are screened regardless of grade level. Students may also be screened upon request.

If concerns are identified, parents/guardians will receive a written referral recommending evaluation by a qualified physician.

School-based spinal screening helps identify abnormal spinal curvature at an early stage when it may otherwise go unnoticed. Early detection is key to managing spinal deformities.

Spinal screenings are:

• Noninvasive

• Conducted according to nationally accepted, peer-reviewed standards

• Required for students meeting Texas DSHS criteria

Grade Levels Screened:

• Girls: 5th and 7th grades

• Boys: 8th grade

Parents/guardians receive a notification letter prior to screening. Any concerns may be discussed with the Campus Nurse. Students requiring follow-up will receive a written referral for physician evaluation.

For information on outside spinal screenings or religious exemptions, please contact the Campus Nurse.

Screening for Acanthosis Nigricans (AN) is conducted alongside vision, hearing, and spinal screenings, as well as for all transfer students.

AN is an indicator of insulin resistance and may signal a risk for Type 2 Diabetes.

If concerns are identified, a written referral will be sent to parents/guardians. Please ensure the completed referral is returned after the student’s medical evaluation so the Campus Nurse can update student health records.

A student may be exempt from health screenings if they conflict with the tenets or practices of a recognized church or religious denomination of which the student is a member.

The Campus Nurse can provide additional information upon request regarding all health screenings.

Screenings are conducted in accordance with mandated school health programs and district policy.
Marion ISD Board Policy FFAA (LOCAL): Wellness and Health Services – Physical Examinations