Health Office

The Health Offices at Hong Kong International School offer professional knowledge and caring communication, support and service to students, faculty/staff and community for promotion of their health and wellbeing. Each division at HKIS has their own School Nurse.

The High School (HS) Health Office is located at our Tai Tam Campus on the 5th floor in room 501. Our nurse is on duty from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Contact information:

3149-7135 hsnurse@hkis.edu.hk

The objectives of the Health Office are the following:

• Offer first aid and assistance to children who become ill at school.

• Authorize and arrange for children to be sent home in cases of illness or injury.

• Dispense medications needed during the school day.

• Maintain health records and assist in the overall health program.

• Monitor and communicate the spread of communicable diseases.

• Monitor and communicate AQHI (pollution) levels.

• Supervise re-admission of children to school after major illnesses, communicable disease or injury.

Health Information and forms:

For the health and safety of every student, ALL students are required to submit their health information. This is done by logging into PowerSchool, and filling out all mandatory forms. Exception: Physical Examination (PE) form. Please download the PE form from PowerSchool, print it, have it completed by a medical doctor, and then upload a scan or photo of the signed form to PowerSchool. This form should be completed by a Medical Doctor (we will accept a Physical Exam completed within 6 months of the start of the school year).

*Students new to HKIS:

– Need to complete a Physical Exam Form (download from PowerSchool) https://hkis.powerschool.com/public

– Complete ALL mandatory forms on PowerSchool under “Forms” section https://hkis.powerschool.com/public

Immunization Form – also found in PowerSchool

*Grade 3, 6, & 9 returning students:

Need to complete a new Physical Exam Form

– Complete/update all mandatory forms on PowerSchool at the beginning of each school year and if any changes occur during the school year https://hkis.powerschool.com/public

*All returning students:

– Update all mandatory forms on PowerSchool at the beginning of every school year and if any changes occur during the school year https://hkis.powerschool.com/public

Emergency Contact Information

The mandatory forms in PowerSchool must be completed online for each family and each child in all divisions at the beginning of the school year. The information on these forms is very important. It has emergency contact numbers (please provide emergency contact numbers other than yourselves as often parents are out of the country), information about allergies/medical conditions, consent to medication and authorizations for hospital care, etc. Please remember to update information on these forms during the school year if anything changes, ie. move to a new address, new phone number, etc In the case of an emergency these forms contain useful information for teachers and nurses to refer to during the school year and use for off campus trips, including Interim.

Medication During School Hours

Our school nurses may not dispense any medication without parental consent. For safe administration of medications brought in from home, the medication must be labeled in English and be in the original packaging. Medication is kept in the nurse’s office during school hours; students are not allowed to carry any medication with them during school hours except for Epi-pens, diabetic kits and asthma inhalers. If your doctor prescribes a medication that must be taken during school hours, you must complete the Medication Administration Consent Form in PowerSchool.

Students who use Epi-Pens: Parents must supply one Epi-Pen to the Health Office and one Epi-Pen will be kept in your child’s school bag. Please fill out the Allergy Form (provides school nurse with knowledge regarding your child’s allergies) and Medication Administration Consent Form (provides permission to administer the EpiPen in the event your child requires one) in PowerSchool.

Health Guidelines

The Health Offices at Hong Kong International School offer professional knowledge and caring communication, support and service to students, faculty and staff for promotion of their health and wellbeing.

If your child is not feeling well please do not allow them to come to school and if your child should become ill during school hours, you will be contacted to make arrangements for your child to be taken home as soon as possible.

If your child is unwell and will not attend school, please notify the school nurse (hsnurse@ hkis.edu.hk) and attendance secretary (hsattendance@hkis.edu.hk) within 24 hours describing the nature of their illness so the nurse can be aware of any general trends. A doctor’s note is required following an absence of four or more consecutive school days, stating when the child is well enough to return to school, and whether there are any physical restrictions. If your child has a contagious disease/illness, please contact the school nurse, who will advise you on the procedures about returning to school. If your child’s temperature is 37.5C/99.5F or higher please keep your child home for 48 hours.

Email: hsattendance@hkis.edu.hk

High School Attendance Officer: 3149-7106

Illness

In order to prevent exposing other students unnecessarily, we ask parents to keep the student at home or pick up their child from school as soon as possible if they have:

Condition Recommended period to be absent from school

Chicken Pox AT LEAST 5 days or until vesicles have dried up AND until 48 hours fever free (fever policy) AND as advised by a doctor.

Conjunctivitis (Pink eye)

COVID-19

Until eye drops have been used for 24 hours. The eye must be dry before returning.

Students with any Covid-19 symptoms should seek medical advice and must not enter campus until they return a negative Covid test.

Comments

Pregnant women should report exposure to their doctor (Blood test may be carried out to check immunity)

Diarrhea/Vomiting

Until AT LEAST 24 hours after the last episode of diarrhea or vomiting. Students need to be without symptoms for 24 hours (without antidiarrhea/vomiting medication).

Fever Students with a temperature greater than 37.5 /99.5 should remain at home until they are fever free (without Tylenol/Panadol and Ibuprofen) for AT LEAST 48 hours.

Glandular Fever

None.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Head Lice

Until all the vesicles have dried up & advised by doctor. 48 hours fever free policy also applies.

Students with live lice will be sent home. Do not return to school until free of live lice. Please treat head lice at home-removing nits & live lice using medicated head lice shampoos.

Refer to the Risk and Response Matrix on HKIS Central for more details, and contact your principal.

Impetigo

Influenza and influenza like illnesses

Until 24 hours of antibiotics have been taken. Affected areas must be covered.

Until fully recovered or advised by a doctor. A 48 hours fever free policy also applies.

Most people are immune to Epstein Barr Virus

Streptococcal Infection (Including Scarlet Fever)

Until 24 hours of antibiotics have been taken AND until 48 hours fever free (Fever policy).

Slapped Cheek / Fifth Disease. Parvovirus None. Not usually infectious by the time the rash appears.

Pregnant women should inform their doctor if exposed early in pregnancy (before 20 weeks)

Threadworms None. Treatment is usually one dose of medication. Sometimes a follow-up dose is recommended.

Emergencies

Transmission route is fecal to mouth so hand washing critical to break cycle

If a serious injury or illness occurs at school, the nurse will make every effort to contact parents. Please keep your demographic and emergency contact information up to date on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. (Please provide an emergency contact other than yourself as the parents are always called first but an emergency contact is needed in case both parents are out of country.)

If a medical emergency situation occurs, we will transport the student to the nearest public hospital. The School Nurse or an Administrator will accompany the student and meet parents at the hospital. If parents prefer another hospital, they can arrange a transfer from the emergency room once it is safe to do so.

If during the school year both parents plan to leave Hong Kong for one or more days while a child remains in residence, one or more temporary guardians must be appointed to make any necessary decisions regarding the child’s welfare. A “Notification of Both Parents’ Absence from Hong Kong” form must be completed in PowerSchool each time both parents plan to be absent from Hong Kong.

The “Appointment of Temporary Guardians” form must also be completed in PowerSchool as soon as possible before the FIRST planned departure of both parents from Hong Kong. The completion of one of these forms each school year is sufficient, as long as the appointed temporary guardian information has not changed.”

Air Quality Health Index (AQHI)

The Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department uses the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), to advise the public about day-to-day risks associated with air pollution. The nurse in each division checks the AQHI regularly throughout the day and advises when the levels reach 6, 8 or 10+ so appropriate measures can be taken. http://www.aqhi.gov. hk/en.html. When filling out the mandatory Student Health Information Form, parents can indicate their preferences for their child’s level of participation when the AQHI is 6/7 and above.

HKIS uses the following benchmarks:

AQHI levels 1-5 at Eastern Station: No restriction on student activities.

AQHI levels 6-7 at Eastern Station: Students with asthma and other respiratory or cardiac conditions will be advised to limit their outdoor physical activities. Students on the AQHI list will be kept indoors (LP and UP). Outdoor PE classes will be modified for students with respiratory or cardiac conditions (MS and HS).

AQHI levels 8-10 at Eastern Station: There will be indoor recess and PE for Lower and Upper Primary students. Outdoor activities will be reduced in duration and intensity. Cross-country running activities will be cancelled.

AQHI levels 10+ at Eastern Station: All outside activities are canceled. Indoor PE activities will be modified for all students. All outside after school activities will be canceled.

HKIS ID Cards

All HKIS employees, students, and parents to the school are required to use an HKIS ID card at the main entrance to gain access to the Repulse Bay and Tai Tam campuses, when boarding buses, and to borrow books from the libraries. An HKIS ID card is your evidence of being an HKIS community member. You should carry or display your card at all times when on HKIS property and present it at the entrance to school and upon the request of an HKIS employee (High School Students: Especially when using “Come Late Privileges,” “Senior Privileges,” and school events in the evenings or on weekends).

NOTE: If you forget your HKIS ID card, you will be required to sign in as a visitor.

HKIS ID Cards for New Families

• All HKIS students are issued with ID cards once accepted into HKIS.

• It is recommended that all new parents submit an application for a HKIS Parent ID. The HKIS Parent ID card means you do not need to register as a visitor each time you enter campus.

• Log in to PowerSchool and complete the “HKIS ID Card Application/Replacement/ Renewal” form to apply for a card.

• New families may request HKIS ID cards for themselves or guardians by submitting the card application form through PowerSchool.

• Divisional offices will distribute new student and parent HKIS ID cards in August, usually during the New Family Orientation or Back to School Night, prior to the start of school.

Returning Students

• To ensure a student’s ID photo is up-to-date, returning HKIS Student ID cards are reissued when a student enters into a new division (Reception 1, Grade 3, Grade 6 and Grade 9).

• Divisional offices distribute the HKIS ID cards to R1, G3, G6 and G9 students in August.

• If a student loses their HKIS ID Card, a replacement card will be issued at the cost of $100.

Returning Parents

• All HKIS parents are required to have an HKIS ID card to access campus, both during school hours and for events that take place after school or on weekends.

• If you have a card already, it will remain active as long as your children are enrolled in the school, so please hold onto it and use it when accessing campus.

Replacement Cards

• To replace lost, stolen, or damaged cards, please log in to PowerSchool and complete the “HKIS ID Card Application/Replacement/Renewal” Form.

• There is a $100 charge for replacement cards, so please keep your cards in a safe place.

HKIS-Sponsored Cards

• You may also apply to have an HKIS ID card issued for other family or household members, such as grandparents or helpers.

• These cards are considered “sponsored cards” and there is a fee for issuance plus an annual renewal fee.

• Sponsored cards can only be used to enter and leave school premises, they cannot be used to borrow library books or board buses.

Using your HKIS Card at Divisional Libraries

Each student’s card is printed with a library membership number. Library membership is available to students, parents, and employees.

Help with HKIS ID Cards

If you have any questions or problems with your card, please email idcard@hkis.edu.hk.

Lockers

High School Office dispenses and keeps a record of student lockers. All 9th Grade students and students who are new to HKIS are assigned a locker. Students in Grade 10 -12 can choose to be assigned their own personal locker with a secure combination for their use only. To resolve any problems with your locker, please contact Mrs. Joanna Lin, email: jlin@hkis.edu.hk.

Lost, Found and Stolen Items

Any valuable articles found by students, faculty or parents, should be turned into the Main Office. Anyone who has lost such an item should report it to the Main Office and provide detailed information about their loss, location, and time in which the item went missing. If you do bring anything valuable to school, carry it at all times or lock it in your locker.

The cleaning staff has been instructed to remove books, book bags and clothes when they are left lying around the school. Clothes may be found in a clothes bin outside the cafeteria. All other items can be claimed from the Main Office. Twice a semester, the lost and found items will be cleared out and items donated to charity or thrown away, notices will be posted to Schoology when this is about to happen.

School Property and Personal Property

Every student has the right to learn in a safe school environment, and expect that reasonable care is taken by school officials to safeguard their belongings.

It is for this reason that individual students can request a locker in which to store items of personal value, such as calculators, watches, jewelry, and electronic equipment.

Valuables should not be left in book bags, on benches, in the cafeteria or in unlocked Library or gym lockers. They should not be left charging in classrooms, hallways, or other locations. Where-ever possible, items should be marked with the owner’s name.

Students should carry a padlock with them to store valuables in the PE changing rooms. Since all students share these lockers, students are to use their padlocks only when they are using the gym.

When loss of such possessions occurs, the school has little opportunity to recover such belongings.

Skateboards, water pistols, bikes, pellet guns or anything that could reasonably be considered a weapon are not permitted on the school campus.

Signage on Campus

Students are allowed to post signs around campus only for school-sponsored events, with approval from their club sponsor or class advisor, and in consultation with their Senator. Only “round” surfaces are to be used to post such signs.

Community members are not permitted to post signs, posters or advertisements on doors, windows, or any other flat surface. Signs placed in these locations will be removed. All signs must be removed when the event is complete.

Transportation Service

Kwoon Chung Motor Company provides buses to and from school along several routes. Information about routes and service is available at the time of registration. During school, telephone the bus coordinator, Ms. Sally Yau at 3149-7151 or the bus company direct (Kwoon Chung Motor Company 2578-1178 or 2979-8798).

Visitors

Students are not permitted to invite guests onto campus without prior approval from the High School Leadership Team.

Approved guests to the HKIS campus must register at the guard booth prior to entering campus. A guest pass will be issued and guests are requested to turn in their pass at the High School office before leaving the campus.

Guests may access campus with an appointment registered through our Visitor Management System (VMS). They will be issued a VMS barcode letter which they should bring to expedite registration at the gate. HKIS will issue a pass to visitors, which they are required to wear while on campus. Guests are expected to follow all campus rules and be escorted by a member of the HKIS community while on campus.

Please email our Security Team at security@hkis.edu.hk with any questions.

School and Home Communications

To ensure you consistently receive updates and important information, please ensure you check and update contact telephone numbers, email address and home address in PowerSchool, via https://hkis.powerschool.com/public. If you are unable to login to PowerSchool, please email help@hkis.edu.hk

Release of Records

Course grades, final transcripts and diplomas will not be released until ALL books, materials belonging to HKIS are properly returned or paid for.

Transcripts

Students leaving school who would like to request transcripts should do so on the withdrawal form provided by the HS Office when withdrawal notification is received. Two weeks is the usual processing time for transcript requests.

Please note that three transcripts will be issued without charge to withdrawing students.

Withdrawal and Early Leaving Procedures

When a student withdraws from HKIS, written notification of the withdrawal from the parents must be sent to the Registrar at the Office of Admissions. It is helpful if the written communication explains whether the early departure is due to employer requirements, extenuating family circumstances, or personal choice.

Parents are reminded that teachers will not be required to give summative assessments to students who leave before the end of the semester. To avoid academic issues in a course, please arrange your flight schedule according to the school calendar. The High School Principal may be contacted if clarification is needed about whether credit will be granted by HKIS for any early withdrawal. The office needs seven to ten days to collect withdrawal grades from teachers. If records are to be transferred, the parents/student should provide the Registrar with the name and address of the receiving school. The student is invited to visit his/her counselor for an exit interview.

Parents’ Presence in Hong Kong – Policy No. 3110, available on DragonNet Residency

An enrollment requirement of HKIS is for all students to have at least one parent in fulltime residence in Hong Kong.

Temporary Absence from Hong Kong

If during the school year both parents plan to leave Hong Kong for one or more days while a child remains in residence, one or more temporary guardians must be appointed to make any necessary decisions regarding the child’s welfare.

A “Notification of Both Parents’ Absence from Hong Kong” form must be completed in PowerSchool each time both parents plan to be absent from Hong Kong, and submitted to the High School office by post or email (hsattendance@hkis.edu.hk) as far in advance as possible.

The “Appointment of Temporary Guardians” form must also be completed in PowerSchool as soon as possible prior to the FIRST planned departure of both parents from Hong Kong. The completion of one of these forms each school year is sufficient, as long as the appointed temporary guardian information has not changed.

Parents who do not arrange for and inform the school of the child’s supervision and guardianship may jeopardize the child’s continued enrollment at HKIS.

Policy Approved: 1997 (reviewed June 2012)