Health Center
Copper Creek Nurses office:
Contact Nurse Sara
Sara Mihaljevich, RN School Nurse
623-376-3910
Health Center Information
- Meet Nurse Sara
- Immunizations
- Medications
- PE Excuses
- Forms
- Helpful Links
- Student Illness
- Head Injury
- Hearing and Vision Screening
Meet Nurse Sara
Hello Bobcat Families!
After I retired in 2018, I came to Copper Creek as a substitute and fell in love with the staff, students and parent community. The next school year will mark the sixth year of my “unretirement”, so I guess that I really LOVE Copper Creek! I want you to know that it is my absolute privilege to be entrusted with the medical care of your children during the school day.
I have been a registered nurse for 45 years. Prior to my career in school health, I was an emergency room, OB and psychiatric nurse. I have been in school health and public education for 38 years, 20 of which have been in Deer Valley. Although my school health experience has been in high school, middle and elementary schools, my favorite place is with the “littles” and I take your trust in their care very seriously.
More About Me Personally:
My husband Joe and I have been married for 45 years. We have two married children, three grandchildren and four grand dogs 😊 At school I am known by students as “Nurse Sara” but at home, it’s “Grammy” and at our house, it’s all about board games, the pool, baseball or football and our faith.
I’m also a travel bug who still has 5 states to go before I’ve been to all 50. The only thing that I like better than taking a trip, is planning one! We camp, we cruise and we love a great road trip.
Hopefully, you know me a bit better now. My door is always open to parents regarding questions or concerns about your child’s health, or just to say hello!
Immunizations
The State of Arizona has revised the immunization requirements for preschool, kindergarten and first grade children entering school for childcare. In addition to Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT) and Polio (OPV), Varicella (Chicken Pox) immunizations, youngsters need to complete a second dose of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine and receive at least the first dose in a series of three for Hepatitis B prior to starting school. Children entering Preschool will need Hepatitis A immunizations (there are two needed) and 3-4 Hib vaccines. Children turning 11 years old, regardless of grade, will need to have a Tdap and Meningitis Vaccine.
Parents and guardians should contact their physician, the Arizona Immunization Program Office (602-364-3630), or their school nurse if they have questions or would like clarification. Copies of the immunization form are available at all district schools. The form includes a place for certification of religious, medical or personal exemptions, if appropriate.
Pupils who lack documentary proof of immunization shall not attend school during outbreak periods of communicable immunization-preventable diseases as determined by the Arizona Department of Health Services or local health department. The Department of Health Services or local health department shall transmit notice of this determination to the school administrator responsible for the exclusion of the pupils.
For information on free immunization clinics, please visit the Maricopa County Department of Public Health website, or call 602-506-6900.
(Ref. DVUSD Policy JLCB)
Immunizations
Medications
DVUSD Medication Policy
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MEDICATION AT SCHOOL - ANY MEDICATION MUST BE BROUGHT TO SCHOOL BY AN ADULT. The following written consent must also be given:
State laws and school district policy strictly regulate how medication is given at school. When it is necessary for the nurse to dispense medication to a student during school hours, the following requirements must be met:
Physician’s Order : Prescription medication must be prescribed by your physician or other licensed medical professional and a written order must accompany the medication. It must include the name of the medication, dosage, time to be given, and how long to be given (if applicable). It must include the child’s name and current date. When obtaining new prescriptions, many pharmacies will issue a second labeled container for school use if you request it. If the medication is a sample given by the physician, please send a signed note from the physician telling who the medication is for, the date, and instructions for giving the medication.- Signed Parent Consent : There must be written permission from the parent to administer the medication to the child at school. Consent forms are available by selecting the forms tab on my website. Consent forms are also available in the health center.
- Original Container : The medication must be brought to the nurse in the original container. Any medication should be transported to and from the nurse’s office by the parent or an adult designated by the parent. This includes “over the counter” medications, such as Tylenol, cough syrups, antacids, etc. A signed medication consent form is needed for “over the counter” medications. The nurse’s office does not provide any medications. Other than provided by a parent, over-the-counter medications cannot legally be dispensed by anyone except a pharmacist or a physician.
Students may not carry medication at school—not on their person, in their backpack or lunch box without prior authorization from the school nurse.
Medications are not kept in the nurse’s office over the summer. Medications not picked up within one day of the end of the school year will be discarded.
FIELD TRIP MEDICATIONS
If a student needs medication while on a field trip, the medication must be furnished by the parent and given to the teacher prior to departure for the field trip. A signed field trip medication form must accompany the medication. The medication must be provided in the original container with only the number of doses needed for the field trip. Medications such as tablets and capsules cannot come from the school nurse’s supply. The school nurse cannot legally direct anyone other than another nurse to give medications.
PE Excuses
PHYSICAL EDUCATION EXCUSES
A written parental excuse is required if your child cannot participate in PE class for a week or less. A written doctor’s excuse is required if your child cannot participate in PE class for over a week.
You may send an email if that is more convenient to:
SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS AT HOME OR SCHOOL
First-aid and medical care provided by the school nurse is primarily for illnesses or injuries that occur at school during the school day. The Health Office is not a primary care facility like a doctor's office or urgent care facility. While I am qualified to make a medical assessment of your child's condition, the nurse does not make medical diagnoses, prescribe treatments or medications. I can provide treatments and medications as prescribed by a physician.
Please DO NOT send a sick child to school for the school nurse to decide whether she/he should be in school. If in doubt, call your family physician. School nurses can assess and refer, but we do not diagnose, and will always refer to your physician if in doubt.
Do not send your children to school if your child has:
-had a fever (temperature over 100.0) within the past 24 hours
-have vomited within the last 24 hours
-have any diarrhea in the last 24 hours
Children should be free of fever for 24 hours or one full school day before returning to school, regardless of how they feel. If your child has been diagnosed with a communicable disease such as strep throat or pink eye, s/he must have been on antibiotic treatment (and free of fever) for 24 hours prior to returning to school. Also, please notify the school office or school nurse of any diagnosed communicable disease so that other parents can be notified.
SIGNS/SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS:
- Fever (oral temp of 100.0 or more)
- Diarrhea, any loose stools
- Red, watery eyes, pus in corners
- Constant sneezing and/or deep cough, constant runny nose
- Unexplained rash
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Swelling of the neck or face
- Flushed face or paleness
- Very sore thro
- Painful earache
If your child has a temperature in the health office of 100 degrees or greater, she/he will be sent home. Any child with a rash will be sent home and should remain out of school until all symptoms are gone, or a physician verifies (with a written note) that the child is not contagious and is well enough to return to school.
Forms
Helpful Links
Here are some additional links that you may find helpful:
Epi-Pen Assistance Program
Emotional Health
National PTA website: Emotional health
This site contains a list of several additional resources
Grief
Billy’s Place
623-335-1101
Billy's Place website
New Song
480-951-8985
Stepping Stones of Hope
602-264-7520
Stepping Stones of Hope website
Illness or Injury
Poison, Drugs, Stings
(Free professional help by phone 24 hours/day)
Banner Poison Control
1-800-222-1222
Student Illness
Symptoms of Illness at Home or School
First-aid and medical care provided by the school nurse is primarily for illnesses or injuries that occur at school during the school day. The Health Office is not a primary care facility like a doctor's office or urgent care facility. While I am qualified to make a medical assessment of your child's condition, the nurse does not make medical diagnoses, prescribe treatments or medications. I can provide treatments and medications as prescribed by a physician.
Please DO NOT send a sick child to school for the school nurse to decide whether she/he should be in school. If in doubt, call your family physician. School nurses can assess and refer, but we do not diagnose, and will always refer to your physician if in doubt.
Do not send your children to school if your child has:
-had a fever (temperature over 100.0) within the past 24 hours
-have vomited within the last 24 hours
-have any diarrhea in the last 24 hours
Children should be free of fever for 24 hours or one full school day before returning to school, regardless of how they feel. If your child has been diagnosed with a communicable disease such as strep throat or pink eye, s/he must have been on antibiotic treatment (and free of fever) for 24 hours prior to returning to school. Also, please notify the school office or school nurse of any diagnosed communicable disease so that other parents can be notified.
Signs/symptoms of illness:
- Fever (oral temp of 100.0 or more)
- Diarrhea, any loose stools
- Red, watery eyes, pus in corners
- Constant sneezing and/or deep cough, constant runny nose
- Unexplained rash
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Swelling of the neck or face
- Flushed face or paleness
- Very sore thro
- Painful earache
If your child has a temperature in the health office of 100 degrees or greater, she/he will be sent home. Any child with arash will be sent home and should remain out of school until all symptoms are gone, or a physician verifies (with a written note) that the child is not contagious and is well enough to return to school. If your child is sent home by the school nurse due to fever, vomiting or diarrhea, s/he may not return to school for at least 24 hours, even if they are feeling better.
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU CARE FOR YOUR CHILD AT HOME
FEVER
l. Keep the child lightly clothed at all times. Infants and small children need only a diaper; older children, only underpants and undershirts.
2. DO NOT use heavy covers, blankets, or quilts to cover the child while in bed. The most that is needed is a single sheet.
3. Keep the child's room cool (no warmer than 70 degrees) and well ventilated.
4. Give lots of cool, clear liquids as often as the child will drink them. As a rule, clear liquids are anything you can see newspaper through‑‑for example: water, apple juice, 7‑Up, ginger ale, and orange, lemon, or lime jello.
5. Give sponge baths with tepid water. DO NOT USE ALCOHOL.
A child may be seated in a tub and water poured over the front and back for 30 minutes.
6. Take the child's temperature and record both time and temperature, noting whether it was taken orally, rectally, temporal, in the ear or in the armpit.
7. To reduce fever and relieve aches and pains safely, you may prefer to give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), using the dosage indicated on the bottle or as prescribed by your doctor. USE OF ASPIRIN IN CHILDREN IS NOT RECOMMENDED as it has been closely associated with the occurrence of Reyes Syndrome.
8. MILK SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN AS IT MAY UPSET THE STOMACH.
9. Fever is a symptom and your family doctor should be notified. They will want to see a child for assessment of causative illness.
VOMITING / DIARRHEA
l. Withhold food from the stomach for a period of 3‑6 hours.
2. Wait 30 minutes after the child has vomited and give the child ice chips or water in small amounts. If the child retains this, you may give then give clear liquids in small amounts (tea, jello, ginger ale, 7‑UP, or Gatorade).
3. After 6 hours without recurrent vomiting, you may introduce the child to clear soups, broths, or soft foods.
4. If your child has persistent vomiting, you should contact your family doctor.
As with vomiting, treatment for diarrhea must involve resting the GI tract, so follow the same instructions.
Head Injury
Hearing and Vision Screening
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HEARING AND VISION SCREENINGHEARING AND VISION SCREENING IS DONE FOR ALL P-K, 1st,3rd & 5th GRADE STUDENTS, FOR ALL NEW (TO DISTRICT) STUDENTS, AND ALL STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SERVICES THROUGH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. PARENTS/ GUARDIANS AND TEACHERS CAN REQUEST A SCREENING FOR ANY STUDENT AT ANY TIME WHEN A CONCERN ARISES.
YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED IF THE STUDENT HAS DIFFICULTIES WITH ANY PORTION OF THE VISION SCREENING.
- STUDENTS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH AN INITIAL HEARING SCREENING WILL BE TESTED AGAIN IN 10-30 SCHOOL DAYS.
- PARENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED IF THEY ARE STILL HAVING DIFFICULTY HEARING ANY OF THE FREQUENCIES TESTED, THEY WILL BE REFERRED TO AN AUDIOLOGIST FOR FURTHER EVALUATION.
- DVUSD HAS AN AUDIOLOGIST WHO IS ABLE TO FURTHER EVALUATE YOUR CHILD AT NO CHARGE. PARENTS MAY ALSO SEEK A PRIVATE CONSULT FROM A PRIVATE AUDIOLOGIST.
If your child has a known hearing or vision deficiency, please let me know as soon as possible regarding any necessary classroom accommodations. If you have any questions regarding the screening process, please contact me.
SCOLIOSIS SCREENING
5th and 6th grade students may also be screened for scoliosis with parental consent.