A.  Inoculations of Students

All students accepted by the organization are required to be in compliance with state programs mandating immunization against specific diseases. Failure to comply with the state requirements will result in the students being unable to attend classes, and receiving unexcused absences, until proof of compliance is provided.

The school operations manager shall institute procedures for the maintenance of health records, which are to show the immunization status of every student enrolled, and for the completion of all necessary reports in accordance with guidelines prepared by the Florida Department of Health.

B.  Medication Administration at School

This policy is designed to ensure safe and accurate administration of routine medications to students in the school. Every attempt must be made by the student’s parent and healthcare provider to have medications administered during non-school hours. However, in the event that it is not possible for medications to be administered at home, this medication administration at school policy shall be followed.

Staff and Training

1. The school operations manager shall designate appropriate personnel as being responsible for medication administration.
2. All designated individuals must obtain appropriate medication administration training prior to dispensing, accepting or answering any questions regarding medication administration at the school.

Submission and Required Documentation

1. All medications must be personally brought into the school by the student’s parent/guardian accompanied by the appropriate required paperwork.
2. All prescription medications require written Authorization for Medication Administration, with original signature by the parent and health care provider before the school shall accept the medication.
3. Medication may not be disbursed until the written Authorization for Medication Administration form contains the date of the current prescription, the expiration date of the prescription and the frequency by the medication is to be administered.
4. Prescription Medication/Treatment must be received in a pharmacy labeled container with the student’s name, healthcare provider’s name, name of pharmacy and phone number, name of medication, directions for dosage and date of prescription.
5. School personnel shall not administer medication if there is a change in type, dosage or frequency unless a new written Authorization for Medication Administration with original signature by the parent and healthcare provider is presented to the school official.
6. When medication is delivered to the school, the designated employees shall count the exact quantity of the medication being delivered and log the medication into the Medication Administration Log.
7. Students who require the use of an MDI (Metered Dose Inhaler) may be given permission to carry the medication with them only if a completed Authorization to Carry and Self Administer MDI form is submitted to the school with both the parent/guardian and physician signature.
8. All medications kept at the school must be kept in a locked cabinet or refrigerator stored away from general population areas where students will not independently have access to the storage.
9. Over-the-counter (OTC) medication must be received in the original container and labeled with the student’s name and accompanied by an Authorization for Medication Administration signed by a healthcare provider.

Administration

1. All employees shall adhere to the universal medication safety precaution of “The Six Rights of Medication Administration”. Specifically, each time medication is administered the employee should verify:
   • The right patient/student
   • The right drug
   • The right dose
   • The right route (method of administration)
   • The right time
   • The right documentation
2. All designees shall wash hands before and after administering the medication.
3. All designees shall direct any questions and concerns regarding the medication to the parent/guardian or health service provider whose signature is on the Authorization for Medication Administration.
4. Each and every time medication is administered, the proper notation must be made on the Medication Administration Log.
5. If a student is receiving more than one medication at school, separate student medication records must be maintained for each medication.
6. The school designee must maintain a Medication Administration Log in alphabetical order.
7. The Florida Records Retention Schedule require that the Medication Administration Logs are maintained for seven years.

Medication Errors
In the event that medication is delivered contrary to the “Six Rights of Medication Administration,” the employee must take the following steps:

1. Immediately notify the school’s school operations manager
2. Call the poison control non-emergency number (1-800-282-3171) for toxicity or expected side effects, if the error involved the wrong student, medication, dosage, time, or route
3. Notify the parent
4. Complete and file the appropriate documentation/incident report

In the event of medication errors, the school operations manager should presume this as the need to provide additional training to the employee and should take necessary steps to ensure the error does not occur again in the future.

Miscellaneous

1. Narcotic medications are not to be administered by school staff.
2. Absolutely no OTC medications will be administered by school staff without appropriate document, and unless provided by the parents.
3. Medications including, but not limited to, inhalers for bronchial disorder, are not to be transported on a school bus unless the student is accompanied by a trained official or is authorize to self-medicate. A written self-medication authorization must be signed by the parent/guardian and health care provider and presented to the school.
4. In the event of expired medication or the end of the school year, the school’s employees will contact parents to ask them to pick up medications. Medications may not be given to students for transport home. If medications are not picked up by parents, they should be properly disposed of according to location requirements. Medication disposal should be witnessed by a second person and documented by both people involved.

C.  Students with Communicable Diseases

A student shall not attend classes or other school-sponsored activities, if the student (1) has, or has been exposed to, an acute (short duration) or chronic (long duration) communicable disease, and (2) is liable to transmit the communicable disease, unless the school operations manager or its designee has determined, based upon medical evidence, that the student:

1. No longer has the disease.
2. Is not in the contagious or infectious stage of an acute disease.
3. Has a chronic communicable disease that poses little risk of transmission in the school environment with reasonable precautions.

The school’s decisions involving students who have communicable diseases shall be based on current and well-informed medical judgments concerning the disease, the risks of transmitting the illness to others, the symptoms and special circumstances of each student who has a communicable disease, and a careful weighing of the identified risks and the available alternative for responding to a student with a communicable disease.

Communicable diseases include, but are not limited to, measles, influenza, viral hepatitis-A (infectious hepatitis), viral hepatitis-B (serum hepatitis), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection), AIDS, AIDS-Related Complex (ARC), leprosy, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), including the SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus), COVID-19, and tuberculosis. The school may choose to broaden this definition within its best interest and in accordance with information received through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

School officials may require any child suspected of having a communicable disease to be examined by a physician and may exclude the child from school, in accordance with the procedures authorized by this policy, so long as there is a substantial risk of transmission of the disease in the school environment.

A student who has a communicable disease, and who is permitted to attend school, may be required to do so under specified conditions. Failure to adhere to the conditions will result in the student being excluded from school. A student who has a communicable disease and who is not permitted to attend school or participate in school activities will be provided instruction in an alternative educational setting in accordance with the organization’s policy.

Students with acute or chronic communicable diseases and their families have a right to privacy and confidentiality. Only staff members who have a medical reason to know the identity and condition of such students will be informed. Willful or negligent disclosure of confidential information about a student's medical condition by staff members will be cause for disciplinary action.

The organization will implement reporting and disease outbreak control measures as necessary if a communicable disease seems to be spreading amongst the student body.

Please refer to the Family Handbook for information and specific instructions regarding the school’s handling of lice infestations. According to the CDC, head lice are not known to transmit any disease and therefore are not considered a health hazard. Parents or guardians will be informed when a student reports to the office with a possible lice infestation.

D.  Student Physical Examination

The organization may require any student to be examined by a physician for the purpose of determining whether the student is afflicted with a communicable disease or have the liability of transmitting the disease.

The organization may also require certification from a physician indicating a student's fitness to participate in specific educational programs or extra-class activities.

Refusal on the part of parent/guardian to obtain the required examination and to submit the certification indicating freedom from communicable disease may result in student exclusion from school.

Students may be excused from engaging in required educational activities upon proper certification from a physician advising of student disability.

All costs of physical or other examinations shall be at the expense of students unless state or federal law specifically mandates the examination to be the responsibility of the school.

E.  Administration of Medical Marijuana (Cannabis)

Introductory and Legal Background
The purpose of this policy is to comply with the requirements set forth in F.S. 1006.062(8) to allow a student, who is a qualified patient as defined in F.S. 386.986(l), to use medical marijuana in accordance with the medical use provisions set forth in F.S. 381.986 and this policy. In addressing who is a qualified student/patient, the policy will also draw upon the definitional set forth in Article X, Section 29 of the Florida Constitution.

The principal, administrators, staff, school nurses, persons involved in health screening, or other contracted health personnel are not allowed to administer, store, hold, possess in any way or transport medical marijuana/low THC cannabis (medical marijuana) in any form or any manner while on-site or off-site while undertaking their duties and responsibilities for the academy.

Only a registered caregiver, as defined below, may store, hold, possess, transport, and administer medical marijuana to a qualified student/patient, as defined below, while on academy property. A student who is a qualified patient for the medical use of marijuana may not possess medical marijuana at any time or place on academy property except during the time of its administration, at a specifically designated site location determined by the principal, and under the supervision of the caregiver.

In this regard, this policy provides no right to any qualified student/patient, the student’s parents/guardians, or other caregivers to demand access to any general or particular school property, including a school bus, a school-sponsored event, whether during school hours or after school hours, to administer medical marijuana.

Within Title 21 of the United States Code, the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) lists marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance meaning that it has not been accepted for medical use in the United States. Marijuana has also not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for any medical purpose. Accordingly, if the federal government informs the academy that the academy’s federal funds are in any way jeopardized by this policy and its implementation, the board hereby declares that the policy will be suspended immediately. In such an eventuality, the academy will post notice of the policy’s suspension on its website.

Definitions
For purposes of the medical marijuana policy, the following definitions shall apply per F.S. 386.986 and Article X, Section 29 of the Florida Constitution:

1. “Student” means an individual enrolled in the academy, kindergarten through 12th grade.
2. “Qualified student/patient” means a student/patient who is a resident of this state who has been added to the Medical Marijuana Use Registry by a qualified physician to receive marijuana for medical use and who has a valid qualified patient identification card. If a qualified student/patient is younger than eighteen (18) years of age, only a caregiver may purchase, hold, store, transport and administer marijuana for medical use to the qualified student/patient. The qualified student/patient who is under eighteen (18), may not do so.

A qualified student/patient may designate no more than one caregiver to assist with administering medical marijuana/low THC cannabis to the qualified student/patient unless the qualified student/patient is:

• a minor and the designated caregivers are the parents or legal guardians of the qualified student/patient or
• an adult who has an intellectual or developmental disability that prevents the student/patient from being able to protect or care of himself/herself without the assistance or supervision and the designated caregivers are the parents or legal guardians of the qualified student/patient.

3. “Caregiver” means a person who is at least twenty-one (21) years old and a resident of this state, has agreed to assist with a qualified student/patient’s medical use of marijuana, has a caregiver identification card issued by the Florida Department of Health, and meets the following requirements:

• The caregiver who agrees in writing to assist with a registered qualified student/patient’s medical use of marijuana is not a qualified physician and is registered in the medical marijuana use registry as a caregiver for no more than one qualified patient except as noted below.
• The caregiver has successfully completed a caregiver certification course developed by the Florida Department of Health.
• The caregiver has been designated as the student/qualifying patient’s caregiver.
• The caregiver is registered in the medical marijuana use registry for no more than one (1) qualified student/patient unless:
  • the caregiver is a parent/guardian of more than one (1) minor who is a qualified student/patient; or 
  • the caregiver is a parent/guardian of more than one (1) adult who is a qualified student/patient and who has an intellectual or developmental disability that prevents the student/patient from being able to protect or care for himself/herself without assistance or supervision.

4. “Qualified Physician” means a person who holds an active, unrestricted license to practice medicine in the state of Florida and who based on his professional opinion determines that a qualifying patient has a debilitating medical condition whereby usage of medical marijuana is recommended.5. “Designated location” means a private location, other than the health room, determined by the principal and communicated to the caregiver where the caregiver may administer medical marijuana.
6. “Permissible forms of medical marijuana/low THC/cannabinoid products” means, non-smokable/non-inhalable products such as oils, tinctures, edible products, or lotions that can be administered and fully absorbed in a short period of time.
7. “Medical Marijuana” means that all parts of any plant of the genus cannabis, whether growing or not; the seeds thereof the resin extracted from any part of the plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of the plant or its seeds or resin, including low-THC cannabis dispensed from a medical marijuana treatment center for medical use by a qualified patient.
8. “Low-THC Cannabis” means a plant of the genus Cannabis, the dried flowers of which contain 0.8% or less of tetrahydrocannabinol and more than ten percent (10%) of cannabinol weight for weight; the seeds thereof the resin extracted from any part of such plant; or any compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant or its seeds or resin that is dispensed from a medical marijuana treatment center.
9. “Prohibited forms of medical marijuana/cannabinoid products” means any smokable, vapors, patches, and any other forms of administration that provide continuous delivery of medical marijuana to a qualified student/patient while at school shall not be permissible.
10. “Smoking" means burning or igniting a substance and inhaling the smoke. Any form of smokable medical marijuana products is prohibited on school grounds or academy property, a school bus, or school-sponsored event.

Implementation of the Policy
1. Administration of Medical Marijuana/Low THC Cannabis to Qualified Student Patients on School Academy Property

• Only the caregiver/parent/guardian who has been designated by the qualified student/patient may administer medical marijuana to the qualified student/patient. As noted in Section I above, the principal, administrators and staff, school nurses, and so on may not be involved in the process of administering medical marijuana.
• The caregiver is responsible for the possession, holding, transporting, and safely administering medical marijuana on academy property. In this regard, an Authorization for Medical Marijuana/Low THC Cannabis Use for A Qualified Student/Patient at School Form (Authorization Form) must be completed by the qualified physician identifying the treatments a caregiver will be administering to the qualified student/patient on academy property during the school day. The Authorization Form must be provided to the principal of the qualified student/patient prior to the commencement of the administration of medical marijuana.
• The principal will designate the appropriate site location for the administration of medical marijuana under the supervision of the caregiver.

2. Responsibilities of the Caregiver

• The caregiver must provide a copy of (a) the Authorization Form including proof the student is a qualified student/patient; (b) the current Florida Department of Health Registry Identification Card for the qualifying student/patient and caregiver; and (c) a valid picture identification card to the principal of the school where the qualified student/patient attends.
• The caregiver must provide the principal written evidence of (a) the form (e.g. oils, tablets) and dosage of the medical marijuana; (b) the time(s) of its administration; (c) possible side effects and any special instructions regarding its administration; and (d) any changes or alterations to the medical marijuana being administered.
• The caregiver is responsible for immediately removing medical marijuana from academy property after administration. No qualifying student/patient shall hold or possess medical marijuana at any time.
• The caregiver assumes all legal responsibility directly in connection with possession, transporting, holding, and administration process as set forth in the policy.
• Bring only a single dose of the prescribed medical marijuana to the school for each administration and remain with the qualified student/patient to ensure s/he consumes the entire dose. In this regard, the caregiver is responsible for ensuring that medical marijuana is administered per the qualified physician’s orders.
• The academy may revoke permission to administer medical marijuana to a qualified student/patient if the qualified student/patient and/or caregiver/parent/guardian violates or does not responsibly follow the terms of this policy. This shall include, but not be limited to, administering medical marijuana in any form other than specified in the Authorization Form or being under the unauthorized use of marijuana or other substance. The consequences of such unauthorized use shall be dealt with by law enforcement and in accordance with the academy’s Code of Student Conduct.

3. Responsibilities of School: Principal and the School Site Administrative Team

• Arrange a meeting to discuss the caregiver/patient or guardians' request for the administration of medical marijuana during school hours. Discuss whether any accommodations/educational supports might be needed. However, if such accommodations and supports are needed, the caregiver/parent must be informed that since 504 Plans and IEPs operate under federal law, medical marijuana administration cannot be included in those plans.
• Inform the caregiver of the following:
  • Only the registered caregiver may possess and administer medical marijuana in the school setting.
  • Medical marijuana may not be given to, held by, or administered by any school employee,contracted personnel, student or other person in the school.
  • The prescribed medical marijuana is to be brought to and from the school by the caregiver.
  • The prescribed medical marijuana will not be stored at the school or administered by the school nurse of the school staff.
  • The caregiver must check-in and out in a manner determined by the school.
  • Provide a private location other than the health room where the caregiver may administer medical
    marijuana at the prescribed time.
  • Designated school staff will accompany the student to and from the private location.
  • Determine which school staff should be informed of the student’s treatment plan.
  • Provide appropriate staff with education regarding monitoring for potential side effects and adverse reactions, if indicated.
  • In the event of any bullying or harassment complaint related to the student’s medical treatment,
    staff will promptly respond in accordance with the academy’s Bullying and Harassment policy.

Adopted: 02/06/2024