Elementary Student Services

Child Find is the process of locating, evaluating, and identifying children with disabilities who may be in need of special education and related services and/or may be entitled to protection from discrimination based on his/her disability.  Parents, relatives, public and private agency employees, childcare providers, physicians, and concerned citizens are encouraged to help the school district find any child, age birth – 21, who may have a disability and is in need of special education and related services.  If you suspect a child may have a disability, help is available.  Contact the Dublin City Schools Department of Student Services at 5175 Emerald Parkway in Dublin, phone 614-764-5913, or visit www.dublinschools.net.

If a person believes that s/he has been discriminated against on the basis of his/her disability, the person may utilize the following complaint procedures as a means of reaching, at the lowest possible administrative level, a prompt and equitable resolution of the matter.

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its implementing regulations ("Section 504"), parents and students will be notified of their right to file an internal complaint regarding an alleged violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of Section 504. In addition, students and their parents will be notified of their right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Finally, students and parents will be advised of their right to request a due process hearing before an Impartial Hearing Officer (IHO) regarding the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of persons with disabilities, and their right to examine relevant records.

The person designated as the District Section 504 Compliance Officer/ADA Coordinator (District Compliance Officer) is listed below with their contact information.

Chris Ondrus, Executive Director of Student services

Dublin City Schools

5175 Emerald Parkway

Dublin, Ohio 43017

Phone: 614-764-5913

Fax: 614-761-5856

Email: ondrus_chris@dublinschools.net

Building principals shall serve as Building Section 504/ADA Compliance Officers ("Building Compliance Officers").

Internal complaints and requests for due process hearings must be put in writing and must identify the specific circumstances or areas of dispute that have given rise to the complaint or the request for a hearing, and offer possible solutions to the dispute. The complaint or request for due process hearing must be filed with a District Compliance Officer within the time limits specified below. The District’s Compliance Officer is available to assist individuals in filing a complaint or request.

The Dublin City School District provides a variety of special education programs and related services to students identified with disabilities through an evaluation process as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA).  Free assessment is available to families to determine whether or not a disability exists.  If a disability listed in the IDEIA is identified, the child can begin receiving the appropriate special education and related services through an Individualized Education Program.  Parents are encouraged to be an active participant in the process.

A preschool child, age 3 through 5, with a disability is a child who has one of the following disabilities, as defined in rule 3301-51-01 of the Administrative Code:  autism, intellectual disability, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual disability, or developmental delay.

A school age child, age 5 through 21, with a disability is a child identified with one or more of the following conditions:  autism, intellectual disability, deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, or visual impairment.

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) provide that no individual will be discriminated against on the basis of a disability.  An individual with a disability means a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or has a record of such an impairment; or has been regarded as having such an impairment. This protection applies not just to the student, but all individuals who have access to the district’s programs and facilities.  In addition to the District Section 504/ADA Compliance Officer, the Board has also assigned building principals to serve as Building Section 504/ADA Compliance Officers.  They are responsible for arranging annual reviews and three-year eligibility meetings, and for investigating at the first step any student or parent complaints of an alleged violation, misapplication or misinterpretation of Section 504/ADA.

To inquire about the procedures or programs you may contact your building principal or the Department of Academics and Student Learning office at 614-764-5913.

For further information on the district’s gifted services, identification practices, and enrichment, please visit Dublin City Schools gifted website, /Page/1163.

In Dublin City Schools, our number one priority and responsibility is preparing all students for success through a personalized educational experience, which is supported through our  Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework.  

MTSS is a comprehensive and prevention-based organizational framework that addresses the needs of the whole child by aligning academic, behavioral and student well-being supports into a fully integrated system.  

The foundation of our MTSS framework includes 5 core components:

1. Extensive Assessment System

2. Data Based Decision Making

3. Team Driven Leadership

4. Tiered System of Support

5. Family, School and Community Partnerships

The two main tiered systems of support that are embedded within MTSS are Response to Intervention – RtI (academic domain) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports – PBIS (behavior, student well-being domain).  Within these systems of support, each and every student receives what they need, as soon as they need it, for as long as they need it. 

Classroom teachers are the first responders for providing instruction, intervention and enrichment to all students through core instruction.  District and School teams utilize assessments and data on a regular basis to assess the healthiness of the universal tier, identify students who may need additional learning opportunities, as well as monitor the effectiveness of interventions.  When a student exhibits a need for the intensification of support, then a student-level team utilizes a problem-solving method to create an instructional plan aligned with the student’s needs, strengths and area(s) of concern.  The team closely monitors the student’s response to ensure the intervention is working.

Family and community partnerships within the MTSS framework strengthen student learning, wellness and experiences in order to ensure each and every student is prepared for success during their school journey and after graduation.  

Dublin elementary schools take an active role in promoting, supporting, and modeling healthy eating habits for our students. As a result, we have revised some of our former school practices regarding the distribution of edible treats to celebrate student birthdays or special events throughout the school year.

• Each school has committed to a non-edible treat practice regarding birthdays or special events specific to individual students or classes of students. This means that students will not bring in food items for birthday treats or to celebrate events such as moving, etc. Instead, each school can help identify how to celebrate special events in ways that do not involve edible treats.

• Annual school wide celebrations will continue to promote healthy eating as well by providing nutritional snack options such as fruits and vegetables. Schools will limit sweet treats for school wide events to one item per student.

Children embrace being recognized by their peers and teachers for special occasions. We invite the Dublin school community to join us in our efforts to promote healthy and nutritious habits in our students.

A student health clinic is located in all elementary, middle and high school buildings, including the Emerald Campus building. A full-time clinic aide, in consultation with a school nurse who covers multiple buildings, staffs the clinic. When the clinic aide, school nurse, or a substitute is not available in the clinic, the building office staff will assist with student care.  

Clinic staff offers basic first aid, emergency care, medication administration, and vision and hearing screenings. Routine vision and/or hearing screenings are conducted each year for all kindergarten students, first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade students, and all new students to the district. Additionally, if a staff member, parent/guardian or a student has a concern about a student’s vision or hearing, the clinic staff will screen the child upon request. Clinic staff also ensures compliance with Ohio’s medication and immunization laws, monitors for communicable diseases, and assists students with required medical care as ordered by a healthcare provider.

At the beginning of each school year, parent/guardian are required by law (ORC 3313.712) to complete an Emergency Medical Authorization Form for each student. This form is to enable parent/guardian to authorize the provision of emergency treatment for children who become ill or injured while under school authority, when a parent/guardian cannot be reached. Throughout the school year, please remember to update your student’s Emergency Medical Authorization Form if there are changes to phone numbers (/Domain/111), or your student’s health care information (Infinite Campus). Students will be excluded from participating in field trips until this requirement has been met. Please note:  If a student becomes ill or is injured during normal school hours, they will only be released to individuals listed as an emergency contact. Contact the school of attendance health clinic with questions.

Parent/guardian are encouraged to contact the school nurse prior to the first day of attendance with any health concerns or conditions that could affect their child’s learning, attendance, or safety at school.  It is also recommended that parent/guardian list their child’s health concerns and medications on the district’s electronic health record (Infinite Campus).  This is especially important if a child has life-threatening allergies, seizures, diabetes, or other major health concerns.  The school nurse will work with the parent/guardian to develop a health care plan for students who require preventative or medical interventions at school when appropriate.  This plan will be shared with school staff that work with or supervise the student.

The clinic is open during the school day and staff is available to care for students who are feeling ill or have an injury that requires attention.  If it is not an emergency situation, students should ask their teacher to go to the clinic so the teacher will know the location of the student. High school and middle school students will be required to secure a hall pass from their teacher to go to the clinic unless it is an emergency.   

Students who become ill or injured at school will need to be seen in the clinic for care. If a student phones or texts a parent/guardian reporting he/she is not feeling well; the parent/guardian should encourage their child to go to the clinic to be evaluated, as the clinic staff needs to directly communicate with the parent/guardian. If the student appears too ill/injured to remain in school, the clinic staff will contact parent/guardian to make arrangements for the child to go home.  If an injury or illness appears life threatening, staff will summon the emergency squad.  Every effort will be made to notify the parent/guardian of this necessity.

If a student is ill or injured and must be dismissed early, the student will only be released to those listed as an emergency contact. Dismissal procedure of ill or injured students varies by the grade level as follows:

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

Elementary and Middle School students may be released only to a parent or to a properly-identified person authorized as an emergency contact by the parent to act on their behalf.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

A high school student may be released “on his/her own” only with verified parental or designated emergency contacts’ permission. 

Students returning to school on crutches or in a wheelchair may be seen in the clinic before going to class to obtain a buddy pass. 

1. The clinic health care team is not designated to replace the family medical provider to dictate medical care. The choice of health care provider and initiation of medical referral always remains at the discretion of the parents/guardians.

2. Your family should be contacted if: problems develop with an injury/illness, the condition worsens, or the condition persists for an extended period of time. It is important when an ill/injured student returns to school that any new or remaining problems be reported to the clinic staff. 

3. All students evaluated by their family medical provider should provide a note from the medical provider indicating the nature of the illness/injury, course of treatment, and any activity restrictions. The notification should be provided to the clinic staff.

Dublin City Schools follow the recommendations of the Ohio Department of Health regarding school exclusion requirements for communicable illnesses. When a child is ill, appears to be ill, has been diagnosed with a communicable, untreated illness, or has an illness still considered contagious, the clinic and administrative staff have the authority to exclude or isolate the student.  In accordance with District Policy 8450, students having signs or symptoms associated with a communicable disease, will be excluded until they are symptom-free for 24 hours without the assistance of medication. State and local health guidelines may be subject to frequent change as determined by health officials.

For common communicable illnesses (strep, pink eye, ringworm, etc), in which medication is required for treatment, students must complete a minimum of 24 hours of therapy before returning to school.  For other communicable illnesses (whooping cough, chicken pox, measles, etc) the exclusion time will be longer and may require a medical provider’s note to return to school.

In accordance with OAC 3701-3-13, when head lice are detected on a child at school, the child shall be excluded from school until after the first treatment.  A parent/guardian will be notified to pick up the student for treatment that day. The parent/guardian and child are expected to report back to the school clinic for re-examination the following school day.  If the student is found to be free of live lice, he/she will return to the classroom.  Students with live lice will be re-excluded for further treatment.

For more information on communicable diseases and the guidelines for treatment and exclusion from school, please visit the Ohio Department of Health’s website. 

If a student requires medications at school, a parent/guardian is responsible for providing the school with the medication as well as the appropriate medication request form.  District forms for all medication authorizations are available on the district’s web site (Medical Forms) or in the health clinic.  parent/guardian of students who participate in District-sponsored, after school, extracurricular activities are also required to provide a separate glucagon kit, epinephrine auto injector, or other emergency medication to the coach or supervising staff member.

Use of Medications (Policy 5330)

[Please check the website, www.dublinschools.net, for any possible revisions to this policy made during the school year.]

The Board of Education shall not be responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of student illness. With the exception of diabetes care covered under Policy 5336, the administration of prescribed medication and/or medically‐prescribed treatments to a student during school hours will be permitted only when failure to do so would jeopardize the health of the student, the student would not be able to attend school if the medication or treatment were not made available during school hours, or if the child is disabled and requires medication to benefit from his/her educational program.

For purposes of this policy, "medication" shall include all medicines including those prescribed by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs and any non prescribed (over-the-counter) drugs, preparations, and/or remedies. "Treatment" refers both to the manner in which a medication is administered and to health-care procedures which require special training, such as catheterization.

Except as set forth in Policy 5330.02 (Procurement and Use of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors), Policy 5330.03 (Procurement and Use of Asthma Inhalers). and Policy 5330.04 (Procurement and Use of Naloxone), before any medication (i.e., a drug) or treatment may be administered to any student during school hours, the Board shall require a written statement from a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs ("prescriber") accompanied by the written authorization of the parent (see Administrative Guideline 5330-Use of Medications). These authorization forms shall be kept on file in the school clinic and made available to the persons designated by this policy as authorized to administer medication or treatment. A copy of the parent's written request and authorization and the prescriber's written statement must be given, by the next school day following the District's receipt of the documents, to the person authorized to administer drugs to the student for whom the authorization and statement have been received. No student is allowed to provide or sell any type of over-the-counter medication to another student. Violations of this rule will be considered violations of Policy 5530 - Drug Prevention and of the Student Code of Conduct.

Only medication in its original container; labeled with the date, if a prescription; the student's name; and exact dosage will be administered. The Superintendent shall determine a location in each building where the medications to be administered under this policy shall be stored, which shall be a locked storage place, unless the medications require refrigeration in which case they shall be stored in a refrigerator in a place not commonly used by students, and unless the medication to be administered is diabetes medication, which must be kept in an easily accessible location pursuant to Policy 5336.

Parents or their designee listed on the student’s emergency authorization form may administer medication or treatment, with the exception of diabetes care covered under Policy 5336, but only in the presence of a designated school employee.

Additionally, students in grades 6-12 may carry and self-administer non-prescription medications if a signed parent consent form (Form 5330 F4 - Request for Student to Self-Administer Nonprescription Medication Without Supervision-High School/Middle School) is filed in the school clinic (see Administrative Guideline 5330-Use of Medications). This authorization form is good for one school year. The student may carry a one (1)-day supply of the medication. This medication is for the use of the student only and cannot be shared. School personnel are not responsible for administering or supervising non-prescription medication self-administered by a student(s) unless a form is completed (see Form 5330 F1 – Request for Administration of Prescription and Non-Prescription Medication by School Personnel).

Students shall be permitted to carry and use, as necessary, an asthma inhaler, provided the student has prior written permission from his/her parent and medical provider and has submitted Form 5330A A F1 - Asthma Action Plan and Orders, to the principal and any school nurse assigned to the building.

Additionally, students shall be permitted to carry and use, as necessary, an epinephrine auto-injector to treat anaphylaxis, provided the student has prior written approval from the prescriber of the medication and his/her parent/guardian, if the student is a minor, and has submitted written approval (see Form 5330A E F1 – Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Orders and Action Plan) to the principal and any school nurse assigned to the building. The parent/guardian or the student shall provide a back-up dose of the medication to the principal or school nurse. This permission shall extend to any activity, event, or program sponsored by the school or in which the school participates. In the event epinephrine is administered by the student or a school employee at school or at any of the covered events, a school employee shall immediately request assistance from an emergency medical service provider (911). Students with diabetes authorized to attend to their diabetes care and management may do so in accordance with Policy 5336.

Students shall be permitted to possess and self-administer over-the-counter topical sunscreen products while on school property or at a school-sponsored event. 

With the exception of diabetes care covered under Policy 5336, only employees of the Board who are licensed health professionals or who have completed a drug administration training program conducted by a licensed health professional and are designated by the Board may administer medications to students in school.

With the exception of diabetes care covered under Policy 5336, provided they have completed the requisite training, the following staff are authorized to administer medication and treatment to students:

1. principal;

2. teacher;

3. school nurse;

4. building secretary;

5. aide;

6. others as designated by student's IEP and/or 504 plan.

No employee will be required to administer a drug to a student if the employee objects, on the basis of religious convictions, to administering the drug.

With the exception of diabetes care covered under Policy 5336, the Board shall permit the administration by a licensed nurse or other authorized staff member of any medication requiring injection or the insertion of a device into the body when both the medication and the procedure are prescribed by a licensed health professional authorized to prescribe drugs and the nurse/staff member has completed any and all necessary training.

Students who may require administration of an emergency medication may have such medication in their possession upon written authorization of their parent(s) and prescriber or, such medication, upon being identified as aforenoted, may be stored in the school clinic and administered in accord with this policy and Policy 5336.

All dental disease prevention programs, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Health and administered by school employees, parents, volunteers, employees of local health districts, or employees of the Ohio Department of Health, which utilize prescription drugs for the prevention of dental disease and which are conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Ohio Department of Health are exempt from all requirements of this policy.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines, as needed, to address the proper implementation of this policy.

(End of Policy 5330)

FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, OHIO LAW REQUIRES ALL STUDENTS HAVE A MINIMUM OF THE

IMMUNIZATIONS LISTED BELOW TO ATTEND SCHOOL. A RECORD OF THESE IMMUNIZATIONS MUST BE ON FILE WITH THE SCHOOL BY THE 14TH DAY AFTER THE STUDENT BEGINS SCHOOL. IF THE RECORDS ARE NOT ON FILE BY THIS DATE, THE STUDENT WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM SCHOOL BEGINNING WITH THE 15TH DAY AFTER THE STUDENT BEGINS SCHOOL.

*NOTE: The clinic staff will review all student immunization records for compliance with Ohio law. The number of required immunizations for each child may vary depending on the child’s grade, child’s age, route of vaccine administration, manufacturer’s brand of vaccine, and the child’s disease and health history.  The school nurse or clinic aide will contact you if additional vaccines are required.

Please contact the building school nurse, your child’s healthcare provider or the Ohio Department of Health Immunization Program at (800) 282-0546 if you have questions or concerns about your immunizations.

All new students to the district who have spent more than 30 consecutive days in a TB endemic region within the past five years or who were born in a TB endemic region must also present evidence of a negative Tuberculin (TB) test before they can attend school. The TB test must have been completed within the past 12 months in the United States. Current enrolled students who spend 30 or more consecutive days in a TB endemic region will also be required to have a negative Tuberculin (TB) test before returning to school.

The Dublin City Schools Board of Education recognizes that staff/students incur some risk of infection and illness each time they are exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials.  While the risk to staff/students of exposure to body fluids due to casual contact with individuals in the school environment is extremely low, the Board regards any such risk as serious.

The school district seeks to provide a safe educational environment for students and has taken appropriate measures to protect those students who may be exposed to bloodborne pathogens in the school environment and/or during their participation in school-related activities.  The staff is taught to assume that all body fluids are potentially infectious and to follow standard precautions to reduce risks and minimize and/or prevent the potential for accidental infection. 

A district Exposure Control Plan is in place for staff to eliminate or reduce the risk of student and staff exposure to bloodborne pathogens.  A bloodborne pathogen is a pathogenic microorganism that is present in human blood and can cause disease in humans.  These microorganisms include, but are not limited to, Hepatitis B and C Viruses (HBV and HBC) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Whenever a student has contact with blood or other potentially infectious material, the child must immediately notify the nurse/clinic aide.  Staff will assist your child in cleansing the exposed area.  The parent/guardian of a student who is exposed will be contacted regarding the exposure and encouraged to consult with the student’s medical providers concerning any necessary post-exposure testing or treatment.

As required by Federal law, if a staff member has been exposed to a student’s blood, the parent/guardian of that student will be requested to have their child’s blood tested for HIV and HBV.  Any testing is subject to laws protecting confidentiality.

Healthchek is Ohio's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Program. It is a service package for babies, kids, and young adults younger than age 21 who are enrolled on Ohio Medicaid. 

The purpose of Healthchek is to discover and treat health problems early. If a potential health problem is found, further diagnosis and treatment are covered by Medicaid. 

Healthchek covers ten check-ups in the first two years of life and annual check-ups thereafter and offers a comprehensive physical examination that includes: 

• medical history 

• complete unclothed exam (with parent approval) 

• developmental screening (to assess if child's physical and mental abilities are age appropriate) 

• vision screening 

• dental screening 

• hearing assessment 

• immunization assessment (making sure child receives them on time) 

• lead screening; and 

• other services or screenings as needed 

If your children are enrolled on Ohio Medicaid, Healthchek services are available to them. If you are younger than age 21 and are also enrolled, you can receive Healthchek services, too. For additional information, go to https://medicaid.ohio.gov/FOR-OHIOANS/Programs/Healthchek.