Education

CFISD health protocols lead to healthier students and staff during school year

1 min read

Published November 19, 2016 at 7:05 a.m. CT

Health services workers within Cy-Fair ISD offer medical aid to roughly 115,000 students and several thousand faculty members. The health services department is in charge of promoting healthy living and mitigating risks that arise in more illness prone seasons.

Bevin Gordon, CFISD’s director of health services, said the district has a protocol to sanitize schools so students do not face any additional risks.

The protocol, which focuses on high-touch surfaces, involves using a hospital-grade disinfectant called Quat 256. Nurses also encourage parents to monitor students for symptoms so children can stay home when necessary.

A student is encouraged to forgo school by CFISD guidelines when he or she has a fever greater than 100 degrees, diarrhea, vomiting, pink eye, an active case of head lice or a suspicious rash. In addition, students will be excluded from attendance if they have a communicable condition.

“Strict adherence to [Department of Student Health Services] exclusion policies is an effective strategy no matter the population,” Gordon said.

Students can be readmitted to schools depending on the condition for which they were excluded.

Employing a registered nurse at every CFISD campus is a critical component of student, staff and community wellness, Gordon said.

She said every department at CFISD plays a part in keeping health standards high. Wellness requires the collaboration of departments including operations, who reduce pathogens through strict cleaning protocol; food services, who prepare and serve health foods; communications, who deliver critical information; and guidance and counseling departments, who address mental health and coping skills in addition to providing community resources for basic student needs.