Health & Wellness

BFA is Concerned With the Health and Safety of Every Student

We have a large Health Room for students who feel ill throughout the day, need a wound cared for, or need to take medicine during the school day. If you have concerns about your student’s health or if there is a change we need to be made aware of (concussion, broken bone, etc.), please contact the health room below.

Lisa Childs: Health Assistant: Staffed and available daily
Peggy Brown: Nurse Consultant, RN, on site about once a week

A Student Should Stay Home/Will be Sent Home if they Exhibit Any of the Following:

  • Undiagnosed skin eruptions/rashes (can return with doctor’s note)
  • Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Fever of 100 degrees or higher
  • Disruptive, persistent cough
  • For specific conditions (e.g. Flu, COVID-19, Strep throat, Chicken Pox, Pertussis, etc.), please contact the Health Office.

Other conditions that are indicators of illness and are considered when determining if a student should be sent home/stay home:

  • Decreased activity -droopy, tired appearance, fatigue
  • Irritable behavior
  • Moderate to Severe Sore throat/swollen glands
  • Moderate to Excessive Runny nose/cough
  • Eye drainage (excessive drainage and/or significant discomfort)

When can a student return to school?

24 Hour Rule

48 Hour Rule

Covid 19

If a child gets sick at home or while at home or sent home from school, they will be asked to stay home the following day with these symptoms, but can return on the 2nd day with the below instructions:

  • No Fever for at least 24 hours (without the aid of fever-reducing medication)
  • No Vomiting and/or diarrhea in the absence of other symptoms of illness for at least 24 hours

If a child gets at home or while sick while at home or sent home from school, they will be asked to stay home the following 2 days with these symptoms, but can return on the 3rd day with the below instructions:

If student(s) had 2 of following symptoms, must be free of the following conditions for 48 hours:

  • Fever
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Or one of these accompanied by other symptoms of illness

Testing is no longer required to return to school.  Please review the CDC website for additional recommendations:

CDC Website
  • Student(s) Stay home for at least 5 days.  If symptoms are longer than 5 days, see the 24/48 Rule.  
  • Student(s) can return on Day 6, but are asked to wear a mask for 5 days.   
  • Siblings who are symptom free may come to school even when a family member is sick. No mask required

Students Who Plan to Take Medicine at School 

For those students who take medicine during school hours, whether daily or as needed, new medication forms are required at the beginning of each school year. If your student has an appointment with his/her physician during the summer, that’s a good time to get the paperwork completed. 

  • How to Get Started: Every medication, whether prescription or over the counter, needs one of the forms below with a Colorado Licensed Medical Providers Signature.  Forms are also available in the school office and on the BFA website (click on ‘forms’). Forms can be emailed to the health office, faxed to 303-974-1738 or dropped off during BFA Annual Family Check-In, Teacher Meet and Greet Night, or anytime during Front Office Hours.  Prescription and over-the-counter medications will be administered to students at school only on the specific written request of the student’s parent/guardian and with the written authorization of the student’s physician.
  • Types of Medication: BFA does not provide any medications for students.  All medications, including over the counter medication, must be provided by the student(s)’ parent/guardian.
  • Prescriptions: All prescription medications must be provided in the original pharmacy labeled container. Medication dose must match on both the Pharmacy Label and the Medication Provider Form.
  • Over-the-Counter Medication: Acetaminophen or many other over-the-counter medications can be administered at school ONLY with an order from the health care provider (Provider Medication Authorization Form).  For those who provide the health office with approved medication, the medication must be in original packaging and must not be expired.  Note: Please send in the smallest amount possible, in the original bottle and labeled for your student (a travel sized medicine container would be preferable to a supply of 500). We do not send liquid medication on field trips if there is a smaller alternative.  If your student(s) requires medication to go on a field trip, please provide one or two doses for that purpose. Regardless of grade, herbal and homeopathic remedies may not be administered at school.
  • Self Carry Medications: Elementary students (K-5) cannot carry any medication, including over the counter. No medication can be in the classroom or carried by the student.   Middle school students (6-8) may be able to Self Carry medication on a limited basis. These students may carry one dose of either Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen without any form. Prescription medication requires the Permission and Contract to Self Carry and Self Administer Medication Form with medical provider, parent/guardian and student signatures.
    • Students should never share medication with their peers. If a student shares medication, they can be disciplined in accordance with the Douglas County School District Re.1’s Student Code and Discipline. Medications requiring more than one dose are administered in the Health Room with the correct medical forms on file.
    • All prescription medications must be provided in the original pharmacy labeled container. All over-the-counter medications must be provided in the original packaging and labeled (handwritten is acceptable) with the student’s name. 
forms needed at BFA

Medical Forms

All current versions of the health forms are located on the Policies, Uniforms, Forms webpage (click ‘forms’ on the top). 

Link to Medical Forms

3 Ways to Send Us Your Completed Forms

Forms information

Not Sure Which Form You Need to Have Completed?

See the Descriptions Below.

Medication Request and Release Agreement

  • Every Medication MUST have a Medication Request and Release Agreement. 
  • Please fill out the lower portion telling us how medication can be sent home at the end of the school year.
  • This form must be completed for any prescription or over-the-counter medication taken at school with a student’s health care provider’s consent.
  • One form per student (please list all medications on the “Medication line.).
  • This must accompany any plan even if the health care provider has used their own form or if your student has an Asthma Care Plan or Allergy Care Plan.

Provider Medication Authorization Form

  • Parents/guardians and medical providers need to sign.  
  • If your student will need prescription or over the counter medication administered at school, either daily or as needed, please complete the top portion of this form and have the student’s health care provider complete the lower portion in addition to the Medication Request and Release Agreement Form (above).

Asthma Care Plan

  • Parents/guardians and medical providers need to sign.  
  • If your student has asthma and will have an inhaler or other treatment at school, have your student’s health care provider complete this form in addition to the Medication Request and Release Agreement Form (above).

Allergy Care Plan

  • Parents/guardians and medical providers need to sign.  
  • If your student has a severe allergy and will have an epinephrine auto-injector or other medication at school, have your student’s health care provider complete this form in addition to the Medication Request and Release Agreement (above).

Seizure Action Plan

  • Parents/guardians and medical providers need to sign.  
  •  If your student suffers from seizures and will need treatment at school, have your student’s health care provider complete this form in addition to the Medication Request and Release Agreement Form (above).

Permission & Contract to Self Carry and Self Administer Medication Form

  • Parents/guardians and medical providers need to sign.  
  • Middle School Students(6-8) can self carry on a limited basis.  Parent/Guardian needs to complete the top portion of this form, have the student’s health care provider complete the middle portion of the form, and the student must complete the lower portion of the form.
  • While we encourage our Middle School students to self carry, we request that a duplicate of certain medications resides in the Health Room.

Getting vaccinated is an important part of your student’s school readiness and keeps children from catching and spreading diseases that can make them sick.

Required Immunizations

  • Hepatitis B (HepB).
  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTaP).*
  • Inactivated poliovirus (IPV).*
  • Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR).*
  • Varicella (chickenpox).*
  • Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap).**

*Students 4 through 6 years of age are required to have their final doses of DTaP, IPV, MMR and Varicella prior to kindergarten entry.

**Students are required to have Tdap prior to entry into sixth grade. One dose of Tdap is required for through grades 6-12.

When are immunization or exemption records due?

New students, kindergarteners and sixth graders are required to submit records of their most recent Immunizations to the school prior to the first day of school.   

Each year, all students in grades K-8 with Non-Medical and Medical Vaccination Exemptions must submit the form by the first day of school. Exemption forms must be dated on/after July 1 of the current school year. (For example, the form for the 23/24 School Year should be dated between July 1, 2023 and August 15, 2023.) For more information on exemptions, please go to the CDPHE website. 

Failure to provide this information could result in the student(s) being sent home until information is provided.

School Vaccination Information

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment also asks us to share information about the required and recommended K-8 vaccines, the Tdap vaccine required before entering sixth grade, and our vaccination rates, for your reference. Click on the links below to read more:  

Hearing and vision impact learning, so it’s essential to conduct screenings, and Colorado law (C.R.S. 22-1-116) states that students in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 should be tested for sight and hearing.

BFA conducts our annual hearing and vision screenings for those above grade during school hours in January and February. We also screen students that are new to BFA, plus any referrals.

Vision: If your student wears prescription glasses or contacts, it is necessary that he/she wear them during the screening.  You will receive a letter with instructions ONLY if your student does not pass the vision screening.

Hearing: If your student does not pass the hearing screening, they will be re-screened later in the spring. We do not send letters during the initial screening. However, you will receive a letter with instructions ONLY if your student does not pass the hearing re-screening. All our hearing re-screening is done by the DCSD Audiology Department.

Re-screenings/Opt Outs:

Any student who did not pass the initial hearing screening will do a re-screening in March/April.  We only do re-screenings on vision at parent/guardian request.

If you want your student(s) to opt out of one or both of the screenings, please email us at health@bfacademy.org by January 20 of each year.