Health & Wellness
The mission of our Health and Family Support Department is to support San José Unified’s vision of preparing today’s students to be the thinkers, leaders, and creators of tomorrow. We do this by providing students and their families with services and access to community programs that will optimize the health, wellness, and safety of our students for them to be successful in the years to come.
TopWellness Policy
Recognizing the link between student and staff wellness and learning, the San José Unified Board of Trustees adopted a district Wellness Policy in 2006 that is designed to “build, promote, and integrate a comprehensive school health system.”
Illnesses
To protect the health and safety of our entire community, students should not attend school with any of the symptoms below. Students exhibiting these symptoms may be sent home.
- Cold symptoms - Keep student home during period of coughing with yellow or green discharge.
- Fever of 100 degrees or higher - Students who have been ill with a fever need to be fever-free, without the use of medication, for 24 hours before returning to school.
- Eyes that are red, swollen, crusting, or draining
- Untreated, draining ears or earache
- Diarrhea - Students must stay home for 48 hours after they no longer have symptoms.
- Severe nausea or vomiting - Students must stay home for 48 hours after they no longer have symptoms.
- Severe sore throat
- Untreated head lice and/or nits (eggs) in the hair
Immunizations
Students will not be able to attend class in San José Unified until all immunization requirements have been met and records have been received by the Enrollment Center or school office. Please click below to view the requirements and find a clinic near you where your student can receive their immunizations.
Please call the Enrollment Center at (408) 535-6412 if you have any questions.
- Personal Belief Exemptions
According to recent updates to state law, Personal Belief Exemptions (PBE) from immunizations are no longer accepted unless they were dated before January 1, 2016. For more information about the new law, please see the Frequently Asked Questions at ShotsForSchool.org.
Medical exemptions are still accepted from your student’s healthcare provider. Requests must list specific immunizations and explain why they would be harmful to the student’s health.
- Tdap Requirements
All students entering or advancing or transferring into 7th grade need to submit proof of immunization with a whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine booster called “Tdap”. Students must receive a Tdap booster by the first day of school.
All students entering or transferring into grades 8-12 who have not met the TDAP booster (Tdap) requirement, will need to submit proof of a Tdap immunization.
- Tuberculosis (TB) Requirements
The Santa Clara County Tuberculosis (TB) School Mandate has changed from a requirement for universal TB testing to a requirement for universal TB risk assessment. This requirement applies to all children enrolling or transferring at any grade level from outside of Santa Clara County.
Prior to enrollment, students are required to have their healthcare provider complete the Santa Clara County Public Health Department Risk Assessment for School Entry.
Health Forms
McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Program
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Program is designed to address the challenges that children and youth experiencing homelessness face in enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school. If you’d like to learn more about San José Unified’s McKinney-Vento program and the services we provide for families and students, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 408-535-6464.
For a list of McKinney Vento Liaisons visit go.sjusd.org/mcvliaisons.
View the full text of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. Read additional information and resources for homeless children and youth.
Students experiencing housing insecurity have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including a public preschool education, as provided to other children and youths.
Drug Awareness
Synthetic drugs are substances that are artificially modified to mimic the effects of illicit drugs. They come in a variety of forms and the prevalence and misuse of these synthetic drugs, including fentanyl, is on the rise. Officials say that young people find pills especially appealing, because they are inexpensive, more socially acceptable than other illicit drugs, and do not have an obvious smell. Synthetic drugs are not regulated, can be very potent, and may be present in counterfeit pills or pills that are purchased outside of a licensed pharmacy.
How can you help?
San José Unified believes that regular and open conversations can help prevent substance abuse. If you think someone you know may be using fentanyl or another drug, look for changes in behavior and know the signs of a potential opioid overdose:
- Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
- Loss of consciousness or unresponsiveness
- Slow, irregular, or no breathing
- Choking or gurgling sounds
- Limp body
- Cold, clammy and/or discolored skin
Call 911 immediately if you believe someone is experiencing symptoms of an overdose. If you find any pills, call local law enforcement for removal.
Resources
Contact
Health and Family Support Department
San José Unified School District
855 Lenzen Ave.
San José, CA 95126