Hello Briarhill families! My name is Katie Dussing, and have been a nurse for about 9 years now. My background is mostly in pediatric/neonatal and women's health nursing. I am so excited to be an advocate for your child’s health and well-being here at school! My job as the school nurse is to help Briarhill be a healthy, safe place to learn, and to ensure our students are on track with state health requirements. If you have any questions or need to talk to me regarding your child’s individual health concerns, please feel free to call or email me.

The state of Texas requires all incoming 7th graders to have two immunizations: Tdap, and Meningococcal (MCV4, Menveo, Menactra or MPSV4).

Several reminder emails were sent to parents of incoming 7th graders if their vaccine records do not include both the Tdap and Meningococcal vaccines. Students will have their 7th grade schedules held if vaccine records are noncompliant, so please send them as soon as possible! You may email a copy of your child’s vaccination record to me at dussingk@lisd.net. If you are unsure whether your child’s vaccine records are up-to-date with the LISD system, you can login to the Skyward Parent Portal and access their shot record that is currently on file. If your child has received any additional or new immunizations

Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements K-12 2020-2021 in Spanish and English

Exemptions for Required Vaccinations: Chapter §97.62 of the Texas Administrative Code describes the conditions under which individuals can seek exemptions from Texas immunization requirements. Exclusions from compliance are allowable based on medical contraindications or reasons of conscience, including a religious belief. If exempted for medical reasons, a certificate signed by the child's physician must be provided, which states that the immunization required would be injurious to the child's well-being. Unless a lifelong condition is specified, the exclusion affidavit is only valid for 1 year from the date signed by the physician, and must be renewed every year for the exclusion to remain in effect. More information on this topic is available at dshs.state.tx.us

screenings are usually performed during PE or elective periods. Students will be screen individually to maintain privacy. Parents may also choose to have their child’s doctor perform the screening and provide a copy of the doctor’s finding to the School Nurse.

Vision Screenings: All 7th graders

Hearing Screenings: All 7th graders

Spinal /Scoliosis Screenings: 7th grade girls, and 8th grade boys.

Texas State Law requires Spinal Screening for girls at ages 10 and 12 (7th grade) . Boys are required to be screened at age 13 (8th grade) . Dates of screenings will be determined during the fall semester. Please see the form below and have your physician complete it during their well-check or physical if you do not want your child screened at school.

Physicians Spinal Screening Form

Acanthosis Nigricans: All 7th graders ( or any new LISD student ) will be screened for Acanthosis Nigricans, a condition \ that signals high levels of insulin in the body. If the first A.N. screening is positive, it will be followed by checking height, weight, and blood pressure.

Keeping students with life threatening allergies safe at school is a cooperative effort between parents, students, physicians, and school staff. If your child has a serious allergy please call or email me for more information.

According to the United States CDC, almost 10% of all children have asthma; it is the leading cause of missed school days. We want to work with our kids and their families to help manage asthma at school and to decrease the number of days missed due to asthma-related illnesses. If your child has an asthma action plan, it is a good idea to keep a copy on file at school. Metered dose inhalers can be kept in the clinics for the nurse to administer, or students can self-carry their medication as long as they have self-carry form. If you are interested in getting this set up for your child, please see the allergy action plan and self-carry forms linked below.

District Food Allergy Management Plan

Allergy Action Plan Middle & High School

Allergy/Asthma Information Sheet that Parents may fill out and return to School Nurse

Self Carry Agreement for Emergency Medication

In middle school, students are allowed to carry and self-administer certain categories of medications according to LISD guidelines.

• Each medication should be in the original container labeled with the student's name.

• The student will carry written permission from the parent or guardian to take the medication (form below), as well as instructions on how and when the medication should be taken.

• Students may not carry or self-administer controlled substances. The Parent Request for Administration of Medication by School Personnel (form below) is required for all controlled substances and any other medications to be given at school.

Parent Request for Administration of Medication by School Personnel - Middle & High School

Self-Carry Agreement for Emergency Medication

Parent/Guardian Permission to Carry Medication - Middle & High School