Student Support Services

Woodridge 68 is committed to supporting the whole child—academically, socially, emotionally, and physically. We offer a variety of student services to help every learner feel safe, healthy, and ready to succeed.

Health Services
Our school health services are supervised by a qualified nurse. To keep students healthy and prevent the spread of illness, the district may put in place procedures such as illness guidelines, health screenings, or other practices that support a safe school environment.

Psychological & Educational Testing
Sometimes students benefit from additional assessments to understand their learning needs.

• Educational and psychological testing may be provided when needed.
• A parent/guardian must give written consent before a psychological evaluation is administered.
• After testing is complete, results will be shared and explained to the parent/guardian and to appropriate school staff who support the student.

Social Work Services
School social workers are available to help students with social–emotional needs and other challenges that may affect school success.

• A parent/guardian must provide consent for ongoing or regular social work services.

Counseling Services
Students may access school counseling services for a variety of needs.

• Under Illinois law, students 12 years of age or older may request and receive certain counseling services without parent/guardian consent.

The district also develops procedures to support students who may be experiencing social, emotional, or mental health concerns. While we strive to identify and respond to student needs, the district cannot guarantee the prevention or treatment of all concerns.

Help for Students in Foster Care
If a student is in the legal custody of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the district provides a staff member to help with enrollment and to ensure school records transfer smoothly when a student changes schools.

Support Related to Sexual Abuse, Grooming Behaviors, and Erin’s Law
Each school’s Student Services Team identifies counseling options—both in the district and in the community—for students affected by sexual abuse or grooming behaviors. These supports ensure students have access to safe, confidential help when needed.

Support for Students Who Are Parents, Expectant Parents, or Experiencing Domestic or Sexual Violence
At least one staff member in every school is designated as a Resource Person to support:

• Students who are parents
• Students who are expectant parents
• Students who are victims of domestic or sexual violence

The Resource Person helps connect students with school-based and community resources. This role may be filled by a member of the school’s Student Services Team.

Student Privacy & Confidentiality
All student support services are provided in a way that protects student privacy and follows all state and federal laws, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and confidentiality requirements. Student records are handled carefully and kept confidential according to district policies and procedures.

A student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) shall present proof that the student received a health examination with proof of the immunizations against, and screenings for, preventable communicable diseases, as required by the IL Department of Public Health, within one year prior to:

1. Entering kindergarten or the first grade;
2. Entering the sixth grade; and
3. Enrolling for the first time in an Illinois school, regardless of the student’s grade.

Proof of immunization against meningococcal disease is required for students in grade 6.

Unless an exemption or extension applies, the failure to comply with the requirements by October 15 of the current school year will result in the student’s exclusion from school until the required health forms are presented to the District. New students who register after October 15 of the current school year shall have 30 days following registration to comply with the health examination and immunization regulations. If a medical reason prevents a student from receiving a required immunization by October 15, the student must present, by October 15, an immunization schedule and a statement of the medical reasons causing the delay.

Read more: Board Policy 5130: Health, Dental & Eye Examinations, Immunizations, and Exclusion of Students

Illinois School Code requires students to submit a report of physical, dental, and vision examinations and the dates that certain immunizations were received in order to attend school.

Ages of Interest/Circumstances Include:

• Preschool/Early Childhood
• Kindergarten
• First Entry in Illinois School
• Grade Two
• Grade Six

Health Requirements for Admittance to School

Students should not take medication during school hours or during school-related activities unless it is necessary for a student’s health and well-being. When a student’s licensed health care provider and parent/guardian believe that it is necessary for the student to take a medication during school hours or school-related activities, the parent/guardian must request that the school dispense the medication to the child and otherwise follow the District’s procedures on dispensing medication.

No school district employee shall administer to any student, or supervise a student’s self-administration of, any prescription or non-prescription medication until a completed and signed “School Medication Authorization Form” is submitted by the student’s parent/guardian. No student shall possess or consume any prescription or non-prescription medication on school grounds or at a school-related function other than as provided for in this policy and its implementing procedures. 

Self-Administration of Medication

A student may possess and self-administer an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen®) and/or asthma medication prescribed for use at the student’s discretion, provided the student’s parent/guardian has completed and signed a “School Medication Authorization Form.”

School District Supply of Undesignated Opioid Antagonists 

The Superintendent or designee shall implement 105 ILCS 5/22-30(f) and maintain a supply of undesignated opioid antagonists and provide or administer them as necessary according to State law. Opioid antagonist means a drug that binds to opioid receptors and blocks or inhibits the effect of opioids acting on those receptors, including, but not limited to, naloxone hydrochloride or any other similarly acting drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

School District Supply of Undesignated Epinephrine Auto-Injectors

The Superintendent or designee shall implement 105 ILCS 5/22-30(c) and maintain a supply of undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors and provide or administer them as necessary according to State law. An epinephrine auto-injector is a medical device for delivering a controlled dose of epinephrine, used for the immediate treatment of an individual experiencing a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). This medication may be administered by a school nurse or other trained personnel to any person that the nurse or trained personnel in good faith believes is having an anaphylactic reaction, regardless of whether the individual has a prior diagnosis of an allergy or a prescription on file.

School District Supply of Undesignated Asthma Medication

The Superintendent or designee shall implement 105 ILCS 5/22-30(b-5) and maintain a supply of undesignated asthma medication and provide or administer it as necessary according to State law. Undesignated asthma medication means a quick-relief inhaler (such as albuterol) used to treat an individual experiencing respiratory distress. This medication may be administered by a school nurse or other trained personnel to any person that the nurse or trained personnel in good faith believes is having a respiratory emergency, regardless of whether the individual has a prior diagnosis of asthma or a prescription on file.

Administration of Medical Cannabis 

The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act allows a medical cannabis infused product to be administered to a student by one or more of the individuals identified in the policy. Medical cannabis infused products include oils, ointments, foods, and other products that contain usable cannabis but are not smoked or vaped. Smoking and/or vaping medical cannabis is prohibited.

Read more: Board Policy 5500: Administering Medicines to Students

Ask the child’s physician, dentist, or other health care provider who has authority to prescribe medications if a medication, either prescription or non-prescription, must be administered during the school day. Medication includes an epinephrine injector, e.g., EpiPen^®, asthma medication, medical cannabis, glucagon, and any medication required under a plan listed in 105 ILCS 5/10-22.21b(c), added by P.A. 101-205, for a student’s self-administration of medication.

For a student using medical cannabis: The parent/guardian is responsible for providing the school with copies of the valid registry identification cards issued to their child and the child’s designated caregiver as required by the Ill. Dept. of Public Health. The student’s parent/guardian must also ask the student’s health care provider to complete a School Medication Authorization Form – Medical Cannabis. The designated caregiver shall be allowed to administer a medical cannabis infused product (product) to the student on the premises of the child’s school or on the child’s school bus. The product must be immediately removed from school premises or the school bus after administration.

A product administered by a school nurse or administrator, or self-administered under the supervision of a school nurse or administrator, must be stored at school in the health office at all times in a manner consistent with storage of other student medication at the school and may be accessible only by the school nurse or an administrator.

For a student with diabetes: The parent/guardian is responsible for sharing the health care provider’s instructions. When the student is at school, the student’s diabetes will be managed according to a diabetes care plan. To the extent there is any conflict between the diabetes care plan and this Procedure, the diabetes care plan shall control. Last, the Public Self-Care of Diabetes Act allows a person with diabetes (or a parent/guardian of a person with diabetes) to self-administer insulin (or administer insulin) in any location, public or private, where the person is authorized to be irrespective of whether the injection site is uncovered during or incidental to the administration of insulin.

For a student with epilepsy: The parent/guardian is responsible for sharing the health care provider’s instructions. When the student is at school, the student’s epilepsy will be managed according to a seizure action plan, if one exists. To the extent there is any conflict between the seizure action plan and this Procedure, the seizure action plan shall control.

For a student with asthma: The parent/guardian is responsible for sharing the student’s asthma action plan. When the student is at school, the student’s asthma will be managed according to an asthma action plan, if one exists. To the extent there is any conflict between the student’s asthma action plan and this Procedure, the asthma action plan shall control. Asthma emergencies shall be managed pursuant to the District’s asthma emergency response protocol.

A student with asthma is allowed to self-administer and self-carry asthma medication if the student’s parents/guardians provides the school with: (1) written authorization for the self-administration and/or self-care of asthma medication; and (2) the prescription label containing the name of the asthma medication, the prescribed dosage, and the time at which or circumstances under which the asthma medication is to be administered.

For a student self-administering medication: A student with an asthma action plan, an Individual Health Care Action Plan, an Illinois Food Allergy Emergency Action and Treatment Authorization Form, a plan pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or a plan pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is allowed to self-administer medication if the student’s parent/guardian provides the school with: (1) written permission for the student’s self-administration of medication; (2) written authorization from the student’s physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered nurse for the student to self-administer the medication; and (3) the prescription label containing the name of the medication, the prescribed dosage, and the time(s) or circumstances under with the medication is to be administered.

If the child’s physician, physician assistant, advanced practice registered nurse, dentist, or other health care provider who has authority to prescribe medications authorizes a child to self-administer medication, then ask the health care provider to complete a School Medicine Authorization Form (SMA Form). This form must be completed and given to the school before the school will store or dispense any medication, before a child may possess asthma medication or an epinephrine injector, and before a child will be allowed to self-administer any medication. If a student is on a medication on an indefinite or long-term basis, file a new SMA Form every year.

Parents must bring the medication to the school office. If the medicine is for asthma or is an epinephrine injector, a student may keep possession of it for immediate use at the student’s discretion: (1) while in school, (2) while at a school-sponsored activity, (3) while under the supervision of school personnel, or (4) before or after normal school activities, such as while in before-school or after-school care on school-operated property.

Parents must bring other prescription medications to the school in the original package or appropriately labeled container. The container shall display: student’s name, prescription number, medication name and dosage, administration route and/or other direction, date(s) and time(s) to be taken, licensed prescriber’s name, pharmacy name, address, and phone number. Bring non-prescription medications to school in the manufacturer’s original container with the label indicating the ingredients and the student’s name affixed.

At the end of the treatment regimen, any unused medication should be removed from the school by the parent/guardian or the school will discard the medication.

If the student is at risk of anaphylaxis, the procedures for Individual Allergy Management will be followed as outlined in Board Policy 5590: Anaphylaxis Prevention, Response, and Management Program.

Regulation 5500R1
Legal Ref: 105 ILCS 5/10-20.14b, 5/10-22.21b, 5/22-30, and 5/22-33; 105 ILCS 145/, Care of Students with Diabetes Act; 410 ILCS 130/, Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program Act; 23 Ill.Admin.Code §1.540; In re Estate of Stewart, 406 Ill. Dec. 345 (2nd Dist. 2016); In re Estate of Stewart, 412 Ill. Dec. 914 (Ill. 2017).
Administrative Adoption: October 25, 1999
Amended: January 23, 2023

Each Woodridge 68 school has a health office staffed by a Health Aide. Our health aides provide basic first aid, administer prescription medication as directed by physicians, collaborate with the district nurses to support illness and injury concerns, and provide comfort care to children (i.e. ice packs, band-aids, etc.). Health aides cannot administer any over-the-counter medical products without proper authorization, and these products will not be supplied by the school.  

You may send in any non-medicated over-the-counter item (e.g., lotion, ChapStick, Vaseline, etc.) for your child's personal use along with a note authorizing their use at school. We encourage the use of these items at home before school to avoid the loss of learning time. You may also supply cough drops for your child's short-term usage (not to exceed 5 days).

If a child has diabetes and requires assistance with managing this condition while at school and school functions, a Diabetes Care Plan must be submitted to the school principal. Parents/guardians are responsible for and must:

1. Inform the school in a timely manner of any change which needs to be made to the Diabetes Care Plan on file with the school for their child.
2. Inform the school in a timely manner of any changes to their emergency contact numbers or contact numbers of health care providers.
3. Sign the Diabetes Care Plan.
4. Grant consent for and authorize designated school District representatives to communicate directly with the health care provider whose instructions are included in the Diabetes Care Plan.

For further information, please contact the school principal.

Resource: Understanding Type 1 Diabetes (informational materials for parents and guardians as part of ISBE’s school wellness resources)

State law requires our school district to annually inform parents of students with life-threatening allergies or life-threatening chronic illnesses of the applicable provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and other applicable federal statutes, state statutes, federal regulations and state rules.

If your student has a life-threatening allergy or life-threatening chronic illness, please notify your building principal and the district nurse.

Federal law protects students from discrimination due to a disability that substantially limits a major life activity. If your student has a qualifying disability, an individualized Section 504 Plan can be developed and implemented to provide the needed supports so that your student can access his or her education as effectively as students without disabilities.

Not all students with life-threatening allergies and life-threatening chronic illnesses may be eligible under Section 504. Our school district also may be able to appropriately meet a student's needs through an individualized health care plan.

Woodridge School District 68 provides vision and hearing screenings annually for students at the state-mandated grade levels, as designated by the Illinois Department of Public Health:

Vision screening is required annually on all children in special education (including speech), children new to the district, and teacher/parent referrals. Annual vision screening is also required for the following grade levels:

• Preschool, kindergarten, 2nd, and 8th grades

Hearing screening is required annually on all children in special education (including speech), children new to the district, teacher/parent referrals and students having a known or suspected hearing loss. Annual hearing screening is required for the following grade levels:

• Preschool, kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades

Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/10-20.63 and 105 ILCS 5/34-18.56) requires school districts to make menstrual hygiene products available, at no cost to students, in bathrooms of every school building that are open for student use in grades 4 through 12 during the regular school day.

Parents are encouraged to view a video on hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AED). The video can be found on the Illinois High School Association’s (IHSA) website.

Legal Ref: 105 ILCS 25/1.10

Referrals

If a student is suspected of having social, emotional, or mental health needs, staff members will refer that student to the building-level service team (for elementary schools) or the student support team (at junior high). The team will review information about a referred student, including prior interventions, and suggest appropriate steps for referral and follow-up. The Team may offer strategies to a referred student’s classroom teachers and parents/guardians about ways they can manage, address, and/or enhance the student’s social and emotional development and mental health. In addition, the Team may recommend coordinated educational, social work, school counseling, student assistance services, and/or a case study evaluation, as well as referrals to outside agencies.

School Counseling, School Social Work, School Psychological, and School Nursing Services 

The team may request school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and/or school nurses to provide support and consultation to teachers and school staff about strategies to promote the social and emotional development and mental health of all students. They may also be requested to provide screening and early detection approaches to identify students with social, emotional, and mental health needs.

Under Illinois law, students 12 years of age or older may request and receive certain counseling services without parent/guardian consent.

School counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses will inform parents/guardians of all issues that pose a health and/or safety risk; they will inform the building principal of any health or safety risks that are present in the school.

Psycho-Educational Groups 

As appropriate, the team may recommend that a student participate in a variety of psycho-educational groups. These groups are typically led by school counselors, social workers, or psychologists, but are not structured as therapeutic services. Groups are designed to help students better understand issues and develop strategies to manage issues of concern to them that may, if not addressed, interfere significantly with the students’ educational progress or school adjustment. Groups have a written curriculum that guides discussion over a set period of time, generally five weeks. A student may participate in a group without parent/guardian permission for one such time period; subsequent enrollment in the same group requires parent/guardian permission.

Students in a group who present significant concern and for whom therapeutic services must be considered will be referred to the social workers, psychologists, or school counselors for individual consultation. (See above description of these services.)

Erin’s Law Counseling Options, Assistance, and Intervention

District social workers and counselors shall identify district and community-based counseling options for students who are affected by sexual abuse and grooming behaviors, along with options for victims of sexual abuse to obtain assistance and intervention. Community-based options must include a Children’s Advocacy Center and sexual assault crisis center(s).

Youth suicide impacts the safety of the school environment. It also affects the school community, diminishing the ability of surviving students to learn and the school’s ability to educate. Suicide and depression awareness and prevention are important Board goals.

This policy includes information about the suicide and depression awareness and prevention program, which includes:

1. Protocols for administering youth suicide awareness and prevention education to students and staff.
2. Procedures for methods of suicide prevention with the goal of early identification and referral of students possibly at risk of suicide.
3. Methods of intervention, including procedures that address an emotional or mental health safety plan for use during the school day and at school-sponsored events for a student identified as being at increased risk of suicide, including those students who: (a) suffer from a mental health disorder; (b) suffer from a substance abuse disorder; (c) engage in self-harm or have previously attempted suicide; (d) reside in an out-of-home placement; (e) are experiencing homelessness; (f) are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ); (g) are bereaved by suicide; or (h) have a medical condition or certain types of disabilities.
4. Methods of responding to a student or staff suicide or suicide attempt.
5. Reporting procedures.
6. A process to incorporate ISBE-recommend resources on youth suicide awareness and prevention programs, including current contact information for such programs in the District’s Suicide and Depression Awareness and Prevention Program.

Read more: Board Policy 5540: Suicide and Depression Awareness and Prevention

Child sexual abuse and grooming behaviors harm students, their parents/guardians, the District’s environment, its school communities, and the community at large, while diminishing a student’s ability to learn. The Board has a responsibility and obligation to increase awareness and knowledge of: (1) issues regarding child sexual abuse, (2) likely warning signs that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse, (3) grooming behaviors related to child sexual abuse and grooming, (4) how to report child sexual abuse, (5) appropriate relationships between District employees and students based upon State law, and (6) how to prevent child sexual abuse.

Board Policy 3580: Awareness and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Grooming Behaviors

Faith’s Law addresses sexual abuse prevention and responses in schools, with new procedural, policy, and reporting requirements. The Illinois State Board of Education has posted on its website a Faith’s Law resource guide that includes information about the warning signs of child sexual abuse, grooming behaviors, and employee-student boundary violations with evidence-informed educational information that also includes:

1. Assistance, referral, or resource information, including how to recognize grooming behaviors, appropriate relationships between District employees and students and how to prevent child sexual abuse from happening;
2. Methods for how to report child sexual abuse, grooming behaviors, and/or employee-student boundary violations to authorities; and
3. Available counseling and resources for children who are affected by sexual abuse, including both emotional and educational support for students affected by sexual abuse, so that the student can continue to succeed in school.

Woodridge School District 68 wants every student to succeed. Some students face special challenges, like being a parent, expecting a baby, or experiencing domestic or sexual violence. This policy explains how the district provides support and keeps students safe.

How the District Helps

Supportive Services
Students in these situations can get help at school, including:

• Academic support and flexibility to make up missed work
• Information about counseling and community resources
• A safe and respectful environment

Designated Staff
Each school has at least one trained staff member who can:

• Listen and offer support
• Explain your options
• Connect you with services inside and outside school

Confidentiality
Information about a student’s situation is kept private. It will only be shared if:

• The student or their parent/guardian gives written permission (when safe), or
• The law requires it.

How to Ask for Help

Students or parents can contact the Resource Person at their school:

Complaints can also be made to:

• Nondiscrimination Title IX Coordinator Dr. William Schmidt: schmidtw@woodridge68.org or 630-795-6800
• Complaint Manager Dr. Anne Bowers: bowersa@woodridge68.org or 630-795-6830

at the District Administrative Center (7925 Janes Avenue). All addresses in this section are in Woodridge, IL 60517.

Filing a Complaint

If you believe your rights aren’t being respected, you can report it to any principal, dean, or coordinator listed above. Complaints will be handled promptly and fairly.

No Retaliation

No one is allowed to punish or treat you badly for:

• Asking for help
• Filing a complaint
• Participating in an investigation

Students, parents, and staff are all protected under this rule.

The Board of Education believes strongly that students and parents should be aware of the dangers of tobacco, drug and alcohol abuse. The Drug-Free Schools Policy is outlined in the Behavior & Discipline section of the handbook. Students who violate that policy are subject to discipline up to and including expulsion and/or referral for prosecution.

Woodridge 68 is aware of the risks posed by drugs and alcohol. Drugs and alcohol can cause such problems as lung cancer, liver disease, respiratory failure, and heart attacks. They are closely associated with such diseases as AIDS and hepatitis. In addition, drugs and alcohol can cause motor vehicle accidents and work place injuries. Drugs and alcohol also have a number of more insidious effects: they can deprive a person of his or her ability to make good choices; they can deprive the user of his or her ability to deal constructively with anxiety and stress; they can undermine the user’s ability to plan for and reach long term goals; and they can destroy professional and family relationships. Finally, lives can be ruined when illegal drug users are arrested, jailed or injured by drug-related violence. From time to time, the Administration will schedule workshops and programs to discuss these dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. The Administration has also gathered a variety of pamphlets, videotapes and other materials about drug and alcohol abuse. Those materials are available through each school.

Any students (or their parents) who use illegal drugs or abuse medications or alcohol are urged to contact the DuPage County Board of Health for information regarding organizations which provide drug and/or alcohol counseling and rehabilitation.

211 DuPage

211 DuPage provides access to free and confidential crisis and emergency counseling, disaster assistance, food, health care and insurance assistance, stable housing and utilities payment assistance, employment services, veteran services and childcare and family services.

Call: 211 | Web: 211dupage.gov

Safe 2 Help Illinois

Safe2Help Illinois is a 24/7 program where students can use a free app, text/phone, and website (Safe2HelpIllinois.com) to share information on school safety issues in a confidential environment. Once vetted, the information provided will be shared with local district and school officials and/or local PSAP/9-1-1- call center, depending on the nature of the information shared.

Call: 844-4-SAFEIL (723345) | Text: SAFE2 (72332)

Web: safe2helpil.com | Email: HELP@Safe2HelpIL.com

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24/7/365 via call, text, & chat no matter where you live in the United States.

Call & text: 988 | Chat | 988lifeline.org

Crisis Text Line

Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, high-quality text-based mental health support and crisis intervention. When someone is in crisis, they can text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor who will help them move from a hot moment to cool and calm.

Text HOME to 741741 | Message on WhatsApp | crisistextline.org

A voluntary student accident policy is made available to all students. The brochure describing all plans, together with the application, is distributed during the first week of school, and the information is posted on the district website. Applications, payment for plan, and questions are all handled directly through the insurance company. This is an optional program.