School Nurse Resources

Providing your student with a healthy, safe, and encouraging learning environment is our goal at Holt Public Schools.

School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses, grounded in ethical and evidence-based practice, are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination, advocate for quality student-centered care, and collaborate to design systems that allow individuals and communities to develop their full potential.

Meet Our School Nurses

Nurse Lexi (Early Childhood-5th grade)

Hello! My name is Alexis Bullock BSN, RN and I am the school nurse for Midway, Elliott, Sycamore, Wilcox, Horizon, and Dimondale.

I obtained my Associate Degree in Nursing from Lansing Community College and my Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Central Michigan University (Fire up Chips!). I have been a school nurse since 2021.

As your dedicated school nurse, I am here to provide a safe and nurturing environment where your child can thrive both academically and physically. Whether it's administering first aid, managing chronic conditions, or offering guidance on healthy living, I'm committed to ensuring that each student feels supported and cared for. Together, let's empower our young learners to make healthy choices and embrace a lifetime of well-being.

Thank you for entrusting me with your child's health. Let's work together to keep our school community happy, healthy, and thriving!

Nurse Kerry (5th Grade-12th Grade)

My name is Nurse Kerry Boomershine-Whitbeck, MSN, RN-CPN, and I have been a registered nurse for over 18 years. I am the school nurse for Washington Woods, Holt Junior High, Holt High School (Main Campus) and Holt High School (North Campus).

I am a proud Holt alumni. I graduated from Lansing Community College with my Associates Degree in Nursing in 2004. I started my career in pediatrics at Sparrow Hospital and am currently employed on a per diem status. I received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2015 from MSU.

After receiving my bachelors, I began working as a clinical nursing instructor. I received my Masters of Science in Nursing in 2019 from Walden University. After completing my degree I worked as the clinical coordinator at Baker College, as a clinical instructor at Lansing Community College and Michigan State University.

During COVID, I reflected on how I could bring my nursing clinical skills and nursing knowledge to my own community. When the school nurse job became available in 2021, I sought out the opportunity to work in my own community.

Notifying the School Building About A Student Health Concern

Providing your student with a healthy, safe, and encouraging learning environment is our goal at Holt Public Schools.

If your student has any of the following health conditions, please inform your school office as soon as possible:

Allergies (food, insect stings, etc.)

Asthma

Diabetes

Epilepsy or seizure disorder

ADHD

Autism spectrum disorder

Heart conditions

Chronic illnesses (such as sickle cell anemia)

Mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, etc.)

Physical disabilities or impairments

Medications that need to be taken during school hours

Any recent surgeries or injuries

Vision or hearing impairments

Communicable diseases (like COVID-19 or the flu)

Being aware of these conditions helps us as a district nurse team and school staff provide appropriate support and respond effectively in case of emergencies.

This information is kept confidential and shared with need to know staff in order to keep your student safe.

Your student's health information needs to be updated annually and as needed with any significant changes.

This can be done in your student's beginning of the year/enrollment forms through PowerSchool before September 1st. Or, this can be done throughout the school year by contacting your school's office.

One of our school nurses may reach out with follow-up questions regarding your student's medical condition.

Medication Policy and Forms

Medication Policy

The student's parent/guardian will provide the school written permission to administer medication to their student for OTC medications and/or prescription medications. This must be provided every school year and with any dose/route/time/medication change. This must be on file at the school. The authorization forms are linked below and available for families to share with their medical providers. Printed forms are available in the main office of every building.

Guidelines for All Medications

Medications must be:

Brought to the school by the parent/guardian of a student. Medications should not be sent to school with a student in their backpack or on the bus.
Kept in the office at the student’s school OR carried by the student following proper authorization (see Self-Carry/Self-Administration of Medication at School)
Brought to school in proper storage container (see below for specifics)

All medications left over at the end of the school year, or after a student has left the district, should be picked up by the parent/guardian within one week of the last day of school. If this is not done, the medication will be disposed of by the school.

Prescription Medications:

All prescribed medications (not including inhalers, Epi-Pens, and other prescribed emergency medication; see "Emergency Medications")

Appropriate medication authorization form must be completed fully and signed by both the prescribing physician and parent/guardian of the student.

Form 5330 F1: Prescription Medication Request and Authorization Form

No changes to medication dosage or time of administration of medications will be made except by instructions from a physician.

All prescription medication must come in a labeled container prepared by the pharmacy or physician AND include:

Student's name
Student's date of birth
Name of the medication
Dosage
Frequency of administration
Expiration date

Non-Prescription Medications:

All over the counter medications not prescribed by a physician.

Appropriate medication authorization form must be completed fully and signed by parent/guardian of the student.

Form 5330 F1c: Authorization for Nonprescribed Medication or Treatment

Any non-prescribed (over-the-counter) medications will be accepted in original containers only.

Emergency Medications:

Medications needed in response to a medical emergency as explained in an action plan directed by a physician. Common emergency medications include:

Inhalers for asthma or other breathing issues
Diazepam for seizures
Epi-Pens for severe allergic reactions

Appropriate medication authorization form and action plan must be completed fully and signed by both the prescribing physician and parent/guardian of the student.

Form 5330 F1a: Authorization for the Possession and Use of Asthma Inhalers, Epi-Pens, or Prescribed Emergency Medication

An action plan must also accompany this form

In order for student to self-carry their emergency medication, they must agree to the terms listed on the second page of the form and sign signifying their understanding of their responsibilities.

Self-Carry/Self-Administration of Medication at School:

Students are not to carry any medication on themselves, unless it is an emergency medication and they have proper authorization.

Completed authorization forms along with the medication must be with the student or secured in a locked area that can only be accessed by that student and staff if needed (i.e. locker).

The school district recommends that an extra dose of the medication, properly labeled in its original container, be kept in the school office.

The building administrator may discontinue the student’s self-administration privilege following violation of board policy upon advanced notice to the parent/guardian.

In order to self-carry their emergency medication, the student must agree to:

Never share their medication with another person.
Carry the medication in its original, properly labeled container.
Take medication only at the prescribed time, frequency, and dose.
Carry a copy of the authorization form with them and present it to school staff as needed.
Have understanding regarding the dosage, side effects, administration, etc., of the medication.
Have understanding that if they do not comply with the rules listed above that the medication will be confiscated and returned to their parent(s)/guardian(s), and the privilege(s) of self-administration/self-possession will be denied.

Communicable Diseases

Holt Public Schools follows the direction of local, state, and national guidelines for communicable disease management.

We recognize that control of the spread of communicable disease spread through casual-contact is essential to the well-being of the school community and to the efficient District operation.

In order to do so, Holt Public Schools follows all State statutes and Health Department regulations for controlling casual-contact communicable disease spread through normal interaction in the school setting.

If a student exhibits symptoms of a communicable disease, the principal will isolate the student in the building and contact the parents/guardians. Protocols established by the County Health Department shall be followed. This guidance states:

When to Exclude from School

Many illnesses do not require exclusion. However, children may be excluded if the illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in school activities or if there is risk of spread of harmful disease to others. These criteria also apply to when staff should be excluded.

Criteria include:

Severely ill: A child that is lethargic or less responsive, has difficulty breathing, or has rapidly spreading rash.
Fever: A child with a temperature of 101°F or greater AND behavior changes or other signs or symptoms (e.g., sore throat, rash, vomiting, or diarrhea).
- The child should not return until there is no fever for 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medications.
Diarrhea: A child has two loose or watery stools. The child should have no loose stools for 24 hours prior to returning to school.
- Exception: A healthcare provider has determined it is not infectious.
Vomiting: A child that has vomited two or more times.
- The child should have no vomiting episodes for 24 hours prior to returning.
- Exception: A healthcare provider has determined the vomiting is not due to an infectious condition.
Abdominal pain: A child with abdominal pain that continues for more than two hours, or intermittent pain associated with fever or other symptoms.
Rash: The child with a rash AND has a fever or a change in behavior.
- Exclude until the rash subsides or until a healthcare provider has determined the rash is not infectious.
Skin sores: A child with weeping sores on an exposed area that cannot be covered with waterproof dressing.
Certain communicable diseases: Children and staff diagnosed with certain diseases may have to be excluded for a certain period of time.
- For disease-specific exclusion periods our district follows guidance from the Ingham County Health Department.

Please notify the school if your student has been diagnosed with or you suspect they have a communicable disease. This allows us to take proper precautions to try to prevent the spread of communicable diseases throughout the school.

Head Lice Policy and Procedure

Recommendation for head lice policy and procedure are guided by The Michigan Department of Education and the Michigan Department of Community Health's Head Lice Manual

Head Lice Policy

Whenever a student is found to be infested with head lice, s/he is to be sent home for treatment s/he may remain in school until the end of the school day but shall be restricted from activities involving close head-to-head contact or sharing personal items with other children.

The student may not be readmitted to school until the parent completes Form 8450A F3 and, upon examination by the school, no live lice are found. If a student has no live lice, but has nits closer than one quarter inch from the scalp, s/he shall be re-checked for lice and nits on each school day until no live lice and no nits within one quarter inch of the scalp are found.

Head Lice Procedure

Identification: Teachers, staff, or parents who suspect head lice on a student notify the school nurse or designated staff member.
Examination: The school nurse or designated staff member will conduct a confidential examination of the student to confirm the presence of head lice or nits (lice eggs).
Notification: If head lice are confirmed, the student's parent or guardian will be discreetly notified by phone or written communication. The notification will include information on treatment options and prevention measures
- Parent/Guardian must complete and return Form 8450A F3 when dropping off student to the office the next day,
Exclusion: Student is not required to be sent home before the end of the school day. However, they will be excluded the following school day(s) until their parent/guardian completes and turns in Form 8450A F3 confirming treatment and a lice examination from designated staff confirms no live bugs.
- Further examination by designated staff may be required daily if nits are found to be closer than one quarter inch from the scalp following confirmed treatment. This will be done until nits are further than one quarter inch from the scalp and no live bugs are found.
Follow-Up: The school nurse or designated staff member will follow up with the student and their family to ensure that treatment has been completed and to address any concerns or questions.

Preventive Measures:

If you are notified of a head lice case in your student's class, it is encouraged to do regular head checks at home. It is also reccommended to discourage your student from sharing personal items that come into contact with the head (such as hats, brushes, or headphones).

Further prevention measures and information about head lice can be found in the Michigan Head Lice Manual.

Injuries at School

Student safety and well being is our priority but accidents happen. If your student is injured at school we will attempt to stabilize the injury, and then call you immediately.

If you cannot be reached, we will attempt to contact the emergency number that you listed in PowerSchool.

If the injury is life threatening, or has the potential to be life-threatening, the school will call 911 for emergency medical service support.

Immunizations

If your child has not received all their required vaccines, please contact your doctor or local health department for an appointment.

Be sure to keep a record of the vaccines and dates they were given to your child. You will need this record to register for school. Failure to have these immunizations may lead to suspension from school according to State of Michigan law.

Immunization requirements for children attending Michigan schools

Diphtheria, Pertussis - 4 doses (Must have 1 dose within last 10 years)

Tetanus - 1 dose every 5 years

Polio - 3 doses

Measles, Mumps, Rubella - 2 doses

Hepatitis B - 3 doses

Varicella (Chickenpox) - 2 doses for kindergarten and up

Meningococcal - 11 years and older