Tracey Akers, WCS District Nurse Coordinator

Tracey Akers, WCS District Nurse Coordinator: Trakers@warsawschools.org

574.371.5096 x 2710

Warsaw Community Schools requires you to submit your child’s health forms on SchoolCare, our digital health platform.

Link to School Care (Formerly CareDox)

Instructions Form (English): LINK

Instruction Form (Spanish): LINK

DISTRICT HEALTH SERVICES

Medical Forms Click HERE: image of folders named Asthma and Allergy, Caredox Registration, Immunization Information, Insurance, Medication Guidelines and Permit, Physical Ssessment Forms, Release of Information

Contacts:

Tracey Akers
RN, BSN, NCSN, Nurse Coordinator/EMS School Nurse
trakers@warsawschools.org
371-5096 ext. 2710

Becky Bell
Edgewood Nurse's Assistant
bbell@warsawschools.org
371-5096 ext. 2729

Amy Cummins
WCHS Nurse (BSN, RN)
acummins@warsawschools.org
371-5099 ext. 2308

Melody Teel
WCHS Nurse's Assistant
mteel@warsawschools.org
371-5099 ext. 2307

Bianca Landrum,
Gateway/Lakeview Nurse (LPN)
blandrum@warsawschools.org
371-5019 ext. 4027

Kennedy Rosen
Lakeview/Gateway Nurse (BSN, RN)
krosen@warsawschools.org
269-7211 ext. 3426

Jan Martin
Claypool Nurse (BSN, RN)
jmartin@warsawschools.org
566-2300 ext. 2830

Lisa Secrist
Eisenhower Nurse (MSN, RN, NCSN)
lsecrist@warsawschools.org
269-7440 ext. 3805

Autumn Proudfoot
Harrison Nurse (RN)
aproudfoot@warsawschools.org
269-7533 ext. 3006

Xochitl Cervantes
Jefferson Nurse (BSN, RN)
xcervantes@warsawschools.org
267-7361 ext. 3104

Rachelle Himes
Leesburg Nurse (RN)
rhimes@warsawschools.org
453-4121 ext. 3607

Patricia Spurr
Lincoln Nurse (BSN, RN)
pspurr@warsawschools.org
267-7474 ext. 3205

Sadie Waikel
Madison Nurse (BSN, RN)
swaikel@warsawschools.org
267-6231 ext. 3304

Randy Heinsman
Washington Nurse (RN)
rheinsman@warsawschools.org
371-5097 ext. 2604

Health Services staff work with students and parents to improve student wellness in order to support learning. Healthy students are most successful and able to learn when their physical and health-related needs are met. We also believe in the mission statement and core values of WCS and play a role in inspiring and equipping students and enriching the lives of others. Tracey Akers, BSN, RN, NCSN is the District Nurse Coordinator. 

Health Procedures

Students who are ill or injured are to secure a pass from their teacher (unless an emergency) and report directly to the Nurse’s Office to be evaluated. The school nurse will contact a parent/guardian if the student is too ill to remain at school. Please make sure ALL parent contact numbers as well as the emergency contact is up to date. Please communicate any acute or chronic medical condition your student may have to your school nurse to help assist with your student’s needs while at school.

Illnesses can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites and can be spread from one individual to another. Please encourage good hygiene and regular handwashing at home. Parents may be asked to pick up their students from school under the following circumstances: 

1) The student has a fever of 100.4 degrees F or above; 

2) the student is vomiting and/or has diarrhea; 

3) the student has a rash that may be disease-related; 

4) the student does not feel well enough to return to the classroom.

Parents should not send their student to school if he or she: 

1) has a fever of 100 .4 degrees or more. They should stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without fever-reducing medication. 

2) Has vomited or had diarrhea. The student should stay home until 24 hours after the last episode. 

3) Has a rash that may be disease-related or from an unknown cause. 

Management of head lice is ultimately the responsibility of the parents. The WCS policy and procedure for head lice follows the guidelines recommended by the Harvard School of Public Health, CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics and the Indiana State Department of Health.

Emergency Contact Information

Parent/guardian and emergency contact information is very important and needs to be updated every year and/or when changes occur. It is important that we have your correct home, cell, and work numbers, as well as at least 2 emergency contact numbers who can be contacted in case your student, needs emergency medical help and we are unable to reach a parent. Please be sure the emergency contacts you list are willing to pick your child up from school if you are unavailable. You can do this when you register your student online and/or by calling the school office and reporting changes.

Medication Guidelines

If your student requires prescription medication, it is best to ask the doctor to schedule the administration times outside of school hours so they can be taken at home. If your student must take medication at school, it must be kept in the nurse’s office and must be given by the school nurse. 

Medication permission forms are available at each school and on the WCS website. No prescription medication will be given unless the school has a signed medication permit on file from the physician OR the medication is in the original container with the original pharmacy label and the student’s name.

Written permission must also be on file from the student’s parent/guardian. Over-the-counter medications require the same parental authorization and original, labeled bottle as prescriptive medication. They must be administered in a manner consistent with the instructions on the label.

No herbal or vitamin supplement will be given unless the nurse has a medication permission form completed and signed by the physician and parent/guardian. They also must be in their original container labeled with the student’s name.

ALL medication should be discussed with the school nurse and kept in the nurse’s office. Exceptions to this requirement are self-administered rescue inhalers for asthma, self-administered EPI PEN for severe allergic reactions, and medication specified in an IEP, Section 504, or individual health plan.

Indiana law allows students to carry and use their inhalers/ EPI PENS IF the physician, parent, and school nurse agree the student has demonstrated appropriate knowledge and administration of the medication. Students carrying these medications have the responsibility to use them correctly and ONLY for themselves.

We ask that students report to the nurse’s office if they use their inhalers more than once during the school day. Students MUST report to the nurse’s office immediately if they use an EPI PEN. See School Board Policy #5330 “Use of Medications” for further reference.

Health Screenings

Vision acuity screening is required by Indiana Law on all students in 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 8th grade and will be conducted by the school nurse or trained Lions Club volunteers. A vision screening may be completed on any other student by referral.

Hearing screenings are required on 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th-grade students and conducted by the Speech and Language Pathologists in the corporation. Hearing screening on any other student may be completed by referral. Any parent who does not want his/her student tested for vision or hearing screenings must send in a signed written statement to the school nurse at the beginning of each school year stating refusal of the tests.