All prescription and over-the-counter medications require a physician order to be administered in schools in Illinois. Examples of such medications may include medication for attention, medication for behavior, cold medication, headache medication, cough drops, etc. IL School Code states that “the administration of medication to students during the regular school hours and during school-related activities should be discouraged unless absolutely necessary for the critical health and wellbeing of the student.”

Before your child’s medication will be allowed to be kept at school and used, you must complete, sign and date the School Medication Authorization Form (Board Policy 7:270-E). Your child’s physician must complete the lower portion on page 1 of the form. Please make sure that all medication bottles are clearly marked by the pharmacy with name, dosage, and usage directions. Parent/Guardian signature is required prior to administration of medication and can be found at the bottom of page 2 of board policy. All medication order forms are to be filled out annually.

If your child has asthma or life threatening allergies and you choose for your child to carry the inhaler or his/her injectable emergency allergy medication, please read and initial the top portion of page 2 of the attached School Medication Authorization Form. If your child will be using an inhaler or Epi-pen, the prescription label on the inhaler or Epi-pen must be clearly marked with the child’s name, dosage, etc. Also, please check to make sure the medication is not past the expiration date. Expired medications are not allowed to be kept in the health offices. Please have your child’s physician assist you in completing an Emergency Asthma Plan & Medication Orders or Severe Allergic Reaction Plan & Medication Orders and return the plan to the school’s health office. Some physician offices have their own forms for emergency plans or you can find the forms on our website, www.bendist25.org Registration/ Forms. Students who have asthma inhalers are not required to have the physician’s portion completed, but do need to attach the prescription label or a copy of the label on the box, to the front page of the School Medication Authorization Form where indicated. In the event that a label cannot be provided, the physician needs to complete the lower portion of page 1 of the School Medication Authorization Form.

For parents/guardians who have previously signed the School Medication Authorization Form, State law requires the District to provide additional notice that the physician providing the standing protocol and prescription for the District’s supply of UEAs is protected from liability, except for willful or wanton conduct arising from the use of a UEA regardless of whether authorization was given by the student, parent/guardian, or student’s physician. For parents/guardians of all students, State law (105 ILCS 5/22-30(c)) requires you to be informed that: (1) the District maintains a supply of Undesignated Epinephrine Auto-Injectors (UEA), and (2) the District and the prescribing physician are protected from liability when the school nurse and/or trained personnel administer a UEA to any student when these individuals, in good faith, professionally believe that the student is having an anaphylactic reaction. 

The School Medication Authorization Form, Emergency Asthma Plan & Medication Orders, and Severe Allergic Reaction Plan & Medication Orders forms can be found on the website under Forms.