Information from Nurse Smith
Last Updated May 2022
Welcome to the Briarhill Middle School Health Room!
My name is Katie Smith (Dussing) and I'm excited to be at Briarhill for a second year as a school nurse. I have been a nurse for about 10 years now, mostly in pediatric/neonatal and women’s health nursing. I switched to school nursing last year and am so excited to start another year here with my Bulldog family! My goal as the campus nurse is to help Briarhill be a healthy, safe place to learn, and to advocate for your child’s health and well-being here at school.
Policies and procedures regarding all things COVID may be slightly different than it was in 2021-2022, so I plan to update you at the start of the school year if there are any policy changes. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or need to talk to me regarding your child’s health concerns! Also, remember to complete your student’s BTS Skyward forms for the 2022-2023 academic school year so that his/her health information on file is current.
Please feel free to give me a call at any time with questions or health concerns. My office number is 972-350-3382 and my work email is dussingk@lisd.net.
Required Vaccines for Incoming 7th Graders
The Texas State Health Department requires that all students entering 7th grade receive the Tdap (Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis) and Meningococcal (MCV4) immunizations before the start of school in August. If an updated record with proof of the Tdap and Meningococcal shots has not been submitted by the first day of school, your child will not be allowed to start 7th grade.
So please submit these records ASAP if you have not already.
And THANK YOU to all the parents who have already submitted your student’s records to me!
Medications at School
Middle School students are allowed to self-carry certain medications such as Tylenol or Motrin as long as they have a form signed by their parent. The form is titled Permission of Parent/Guardian Permission to Carry Meds at Secondary School and can be found below. Have your student keep the signed form in their backpack along with the medication, and make sure the medication is in the original, labeled bottle.
Self-Carry Medication Form link:
If your child needs to keep Emergency medications such as an inhaler or Epipen at school, a different form is needed that will require a doctor’s signature. A new signed form is necessary for each school year and the form can be found here.
Other Health Pointers
-Please ensure your child eats a healthy breakfast every morning. Our brains need "fuel" to run properly. Also, try to send a water bottle to school (or help them remember to bring one), as most kiddos don’t drink nearly as much water as they should!
-If your child has a temperature of 100 degrees or greater, please keep them home until they are fever free for 24 hours without medication.
- If a child becomes ill at school (rash, vomiting, uncontrolled coughing, pink eye, head lice, diarrhea, etc.) I will call you to arrange for pick-up. Please keep them at home until they are symptom-free for 24 hours without medication.
Useful Forms and Links
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
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