Our school wishes to share these two important video messages from Granite Wellness Center and the Placer County Sheriff's Office regarding the dangers of Fentanyl and other opioids in our local community. Please take a moment to watch both and open a conversation with your family.

Overview

The Ackerman Charter School District is committed to the optimal development of every student. The District believes that for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental and social success, we need to create positive, safe and health-promoting learning environments at every level, in every setting, throughout the school year.

Establishing the Local School Wellness Policy

Ackerman’s Wellness Committee was established in the Spring of 2017. The committee consists of teachers, food service staff, the school nurse, parents, the school administration, and students. The committee meets multiple times each year to review, update, and implement the policy as needed.

In the Spring of 2017, the committee established a baseline survey for classroom teachers to determine how and what is being taught to our students in the areas of Health and Wellness. The results indicated a wide variety of implementations of the Health Education Standards adopted in 2008. (View the adopted Health Education Standards on CDE's website)

Upon reviewing the data, the committee set goals to help improve and increase the visibility of the importance of making healthy choices. The committee wanted the opportunity to honor the importance of their work and, therefore, has set a 2-3 year timeline for these goals to be met.

Local School Wellness Policy Goals and Activities (2-3 years)

Research potential salad bar availability to students/staff. Cost, time, and resources.
Research and pilot available curricula that will meet State standards to promote health and wellness to our students. Once curriculum is identified, provide training to staff for full implementation.
Investigate the current garden program and potential for expansion to more grade levels.
Research and develop avenues for parent communication of healthy lifestyles, nutrition, and physical activity.
Research and develop community partners to promote student wellness. Develop a staff and student survey to address Wellness and program improvement.

Activities to Meet Local Wellness Policy Goals (both current and future)

Nutrition Education

The results of our Spring 2017 survey indicated that there is a high need to supplement our current curriculum to meet the State standards of Health Education. Our committee will be reviewing and setting forth a timeline to pilot and implement units of study for each grade level (TK-8) that focuses on making healthy choices throughout one’s life.

Physical Education

Currently, every student at Bowman School meets or exceeds the State-required minutes for physical education AND recess. Student participation in physical education focuses on the development of skills that lead to lifelong practices of a healthy lifestyle. These skills build upon each other year after year as students progress through the grade levels. Every student is taught by a credentialed physical education teacher, as well as a well-trained instructional aide to maximize instruction.

Currently, Bowman Charter School is undergoing a major construction project that will provide our students with a multi-million dollar facility that includes a new gymnasium, locker rooms, band and choir rooms.

Students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities such as basketball, volleyball, and soccer while in middle school. Students in grades 4-8 are also encouraged to participate in cross country and track.

Teachers encourage students to take brain breaks throughout the day to get students moving, be more energized, and increase focus while learning.

School Meals

The Bowman’s food service personnel serve on the wellness committee. They are highly trained individuals that provide high quality meals that meet all State and Federal guidelines. As stated in our goals we will continue promoting healthy choices and a wide variety of options to our students.

The District has encouraged parents to take a big part in being role models and providing healthy, fresh options for students during classroom celebrations. Parents have accepted the challenge and regularly provide creative, appealing, and fun snacks that students enjoy. See below.

Bowman Charter School has removed all vending machines and installed one filtered water fountain with a bottle filler. We will continue to update other water fountains around the campus as our current construction projects are completed. We have also ceased any competitive food sales on our campus.

Ackerman Charter School District will actively research avenues to promote the Wellness Policy to students, parents, and staff using e-newsletters, websites, and other resources.

Health Care Plans

Individualized health care plans help contribute to consistent and safe health care for the student at school. The plan sets guidelines for teachers and staff that provide specific directions about what to do in a health emergency. Below is a list of health conditions that the school nurse will create a health care plan for and email to the student's teachers each school year. These are serious health conditions that teachers need to know in the event of a medical emergency, including what procedures to follow.

Conditions that merit an individualized health care plan: seizures, asthma, diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome (ex: crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis), heart-related issues, severe allergic reactions (ex: peanut or tree nut allergies), history of fainting, bleeding, and blood issues.

Please notify the front office if your student has a condition that would require a health care plan at school.

Illness Guidelines

If your child is not feeling well enough to attend school, please keep them at home. If your child starts showing signs or symptoms of illness at school that meet the criteria for staying home, the parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up the student. Below is a list of symptoms that may require your child to stay home from school.

For more information, please refer to the Bowman Charter School Illness Guidelines for when your child can RETURN to school after an illness.

Symptoms:

Fever of 100.4: An oral (under the tongue), temporal (forehead), rectal, or axillary (underarm) temperature above 100.4°F. If a temperature is close to 100.4°F, repeat to confirm the result. Unless otherwise directed by a healthcare provider, a child with another symptom or sign of illness who also has a fever should NOT attend school or child care.
Breathing Difficulty: Wheezing (high-pitched sounds) that can be heard when a child breathes in or out, chest retractions or extra effort is required to breathe. Please do not send your student to school if they (1) have wheezing that cannot be relieved with medications prescribed by their doctor, (2) their skin or lips seem purple, blue, or grey, (3) they have rapid breathing or increased effort to breathe, such as chest retractions (space between ribs sinks with each breath), belly breathing (belly goes up and down with breathing), or (4) if the breathing problem causes the child to have pursed lips, difficulty speaking, or difficulty eating.
Illness/Cold: May include runny/stuffy nose, sore throat, sneezing, congestion, body aches, and/or cough, typically lasting up to 7-10 days. Please do not send your child to school if they are too sick to actively participate in school activities.
Diarrhea: stools that are more frequent (typically two more than normal) or less formed than usual for that child. Please do not send your student to school if they cannot reach the toilet in a timely manner, if the stool looks like it contains blood or mucus, or appears like sticky black tar, if they have yellow skin/eyes (jaundice), or if diarrhea occurs during an outbreak, and exclusion is recommended by the local health department
Earache: Pain (dull, sharp, or burning sensation) experienced inside the ear. Please do not send your student to school if the ear pain will prevent participation in school activities, if the pain starts after an injury, or if it causes behavior changes.
Eye Irritation or Discharge: Red or pink appearance to the white part of the eyeball. The child's eye may also be itchy, have crusted/matted eyelashes, more watering than normal, or yellow/white drainage. Please do not send to school if your student is having problems seeing (vision changes), there is an injury to the eye involving forceful impact or penetration, there is pain or discomfort that prevents meaningful participation in school, or there is drainage or buildup from one or both eyes.
Headache, Stiff or Painful Neck: Pain experienced in any part of the head ranging from sharp to dull; may occur along with other symptoms.
- Concussion symptoms: Pain occurs after a fall or other injury to the head and is

severe or associated with vomiting, vision changes, behavior change, or confusion.

Possible infection: Stiff neck, headache and fever can be symptoms of meningitis, a potentially serious infection. Meningitis can also cause sensitivity to light, vomiting, and/or confusion. A stiff neck is most concerning if the child can’t look at their belly button (putting chin to chest) due to pain or the BACK of the neck is painful (not soreness in the sides) along with the other symptoms above.

Pain or Abdominal Pain: Pain experienced anywhere between the chest and groin; pain may be continuous or come and go. Please don’t send your student to school if pain is severe enough that the child cannot effectively participate in class, if the pain starts after an injury, or if the student has bloody or black stools.
Rash or Itching: An area of the skin that has changes in color or texture and may look inflamed or irritated. The skin may be darker than or lighter than normal or red or purple. It may be warm, scaly, bumpy, dry, itchy, swollen, or painful. It may also crack or blister. (For diagnosed conditions, Ackerman Charter School District communicable disease guidelines will be followed for conditions such as lice, impetigo, ringworm, scabies, and pinworms and the child may return after the appropriate treatment is started.)
Sore Throat or Mouth Sores: Sore throat includes pain or irritation of the throat often resulting from a viral or bacterial infection (e.g., cold, flu, strep throat). Mouth sores include white patches on the tongue, gums and/or inner cheeks; white/red spots in the mouth, blisters on lips or inside mouth; or painful ulcers inside cheeks or on gums. Please do not send your student to school if the sore throat or mouth sores are causing extreme discomfort and they are unable to swallow without significant discomfort. (*Note: Most children with a sore throat have viral infections. If a child is diagnosed with strep throat, they should receive antibiotics for at least 24 hours before returning.)
Vomiting: Forceful expelling of stomach contents out of the mouth 2 times or more in 24 hours. Please do not send your student to school if vomiting has occurred 2 or more times in 24 hours, if there is concern for a serious allergic reaction, such as hives, appearing with vomiting, if the vomit appears green or bloody, if there was a recent head injury, or if there are signs or symptoms of illness.

For more information, please refer to the Bowman Charter School Illness Guidelines for when your child can return to school after an illness. Please call the front office if you have any questions regarding the Illness Guidelines. (530) 885-1974

Medications at School

If your student needs to take medication at school, you must have your child’s health care provider complete this form: Physician’s Request for Medication at School. The form must be completed by the doctor AND by the parent/guardian. The form must be completed for each medication required at school AND once every school year.

School Entry Forms

Oral Health Assessment Requirement

Children entering school for the first time in Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten or First Grade at a public school are required to have a dental checkup by May 31 of the first year. The evaluation must be completed by a licensed dental professional. Oral health assessments that occurred within the 12 months prior to school entry also meet this requirement.

Report of Health Exam Requirement

Students entering Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, or First Grade (if the requirement was not previously met) must submit a completed Report of Health Exam. The physical exam date must be no earlier than 6 months prior to starting Transitional Kindergarten or Kindergarten, or within 90 days after starting First Grade. The Report of Health Exam must be signed by a licensed health care provider.

Immunizations Required for School Entry

Students entering TK or Kindergarten need records of:

Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP, DTP, Tdap or Td) — 5 doses

4 doses OK if one was given on or after 4th birthday;

3 doses OK if one was given on or after 7th birthday.

Polio (IPV or OPV) — 4 doses

3 doses OK if one was given on or after 4th birthday. Oral polio vaccine (OPV) doses given on or after April 1, 2016, do not count.

Hepatitis B — 3 doses
Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) — 2 doses

Both doses must be given on or after 1st birthday.

Varicella (Chickenpox) — 2 doses

New and transfer students entering TK/K-8th Grade need records of all immunizations listed above.

California schools are required by law (California Health and Safety Code, Sections 120325-120375) to check immunizations for all students entering 7th grade. All students entering 7th grade are required to have a Tdap booster in addition to all required immunizations before the first day of school. Most students advancing to 7th grade will only require a Tdap booster to be compliant with the immunization laws. Please refer to the 7th Grade Tdap Notice.