Health & Wellness

Health Services

Welcome to the Joel E. Barber Health & Wellness Hub

At Laclede County C-5, we believe that a thriving school starts with a healthy community. For our Joel E. Barber family, wellness isn’t just an afterthought—it’s the foundation for how we learn, work, and grow together. We are fully committed to nurturing both the physical and mental well-being of our incredible students and our dedicated staff.

We know that when our students feel safe, supported, and healthy, they can achieve their full potential. Likewise, when our staff members are cared for, they can do what they do best: inspire the next generation.

Our Services & Support

To ensure everyone in our building has the tools they need to succeed, we proudly offer a variety of holistic health services, including:

  • Comprehensive Health Services: On-site nursing, routine screenings, and physical health resources to keep our bodies strong.

  • Mental & Emotional Well-Being: Accessible school counseling, emotional support systems, and mental health resources tailored for both kids and adults.

  • Wellness Initiatives: Programs designed to promote healthy habits, stress management, and a positive school culture for staff and students alike.

Explore the resources below to see how we’re working together to keep Laclede County C-5 healthy, happy, and strong!

We love seeing our students in the classrooms every day, but keeping our Joel E. Barber family healthy requires teamwork. When a child is sick, resting at home helps them recover faster and prevents the spread of illness to classmates and staff.

To help you decide when to keep your student home, please use the following guidelines.

Keep Your Student Home If They Have:

  • A Fever: A temperature of 100°F or higher. Students must be fever-free for a full 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication (like Tylenol or Motrin) before returning to school.

  • Vomiting or Diarrhea: If your student has vomited or had diarrhea within the past 24 hours, they need to stay home until they are symptom-free for 24 hours and able to keep food down.

  • Head Lice: If you discover active, live lice or new nits (eggs) in your child’s hair. Students should stay home until they have received their first full treatment and have been cleared by the school nurse to return to the classroom.

  • A Severe or Uncontrolled Cough: A continuous, hacking cough that disrupts their ability to participate in class or makes it difficult to breathe.

  • An Undiagnosed Rash: Any new, spreading, or oozing rash that has not been evaluated by a doctor.

  • Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis): Red, itchy eyes with yellow or green drainage. If diagnosed with pink eye, students may return 24 hours after starting antibiotic drops.

  • A Severe Sore Throat: Especially if accompanied by a fever, headache, or stomachache (which could indicate strep throat).

💡 The Golden Rule: When in doubt, the “24-Hour Rule” is your best guide. Students should be free of fevers, vomiting, and diarrhea for at least 24 hours before coming back to school.


What to Do If Your Child Stays Home

If you decide to keep your child home, please remember to:

  1. Call the attendance line in the morning to report the absence.

  2. Notify the school nurse if your child has been diagnosed with a contagious illness or head lice so we can monitor trends and provide helpful guidance.

  3. Send a doctor’s note when your student returns if they were seen by a medical professional.

Thank you for helping us keep Laclede County C-5 a healthy place to learn!

IMMUNIZATION LAW

Missouri State Law (Section 210.003 RSMo) required children to be adequately immunized before attending school. All student immunizations must be up-to-date or in progress by the first day of school in order to attend. New students enrolling in school must show proof of immunization status prior to starting classes.

SB 341: Preschool Enrollment and Immunizations

In accordance with state law, a parent or guardian may request notification from the district if there is a child currently enrolled in a building that houses a preschool program who has received an exemption from immunizations. This new law impacts only students located in buildings that house a preschool program. Please keep in mind confidentiality laws prohibit us from revealing the name of the student, the classroom the child is enrolled in, and the type of exemption the child has on file. Parents/Guardians of students at Esther Elementary may request a form for notification from the school office.

To ensure the health and safety of all our students, Joel E. Barber follows strict guidelines regarding the administration of medication during the school day. Whenever possible, we ask that medications be given at home. However, if medication must be administered at school, please review the critical requirements below.

🚨 CRITICAL SAFETY RULE: Students are strictly prohibited from carrying any medication in their bags, pockets, or on the school bus at any time. All medication must be brought directly to the school nurse by a parent or guardian.


General Requirements for All Medications

  • Original Containers Only: All medicine must be in its original container with the original label intact.

  • Authorization Required: No medication will be given without written authorization from a parent, guardian, or physician.

  • End-of-Year Pick-Up: Parents/guardians must pick up all unused medication at the end of each school year.

Prescription Medications

  1. Labeling: The original prescription bottle must clearly show the student’s name, physician’s name, pharmacy, prescription number, date, medication name, dosage, and exact timing.

  2. Written Request: A signed parent/guardian note containing these same details must accompany the medication.

  3. Quantity Limit: Please do not leave more than 5 tablets at school, unless it is a daily medication or an antibiotic.

  4. Changes: Any change to the type, dosage, or timing of the medication may require a new physician’s order.

Non-Prescription (Over-the-Counter) Medications

  1. Written Request & Order: Daily over-the-counter medication requires a written request and signature from a parent/guardian and/or a physician.

  2. Quantity Limit: Please do not leave more than 24 tablets with the school nurse.

  3. Changes: Any changes to daily non-prescription medication require a physician’s order.

Please Note: This is only a summary of our medical protocols. For the complete, detailed policy and requirements, please consult the Joel E. Barber Student Handbook or contact the school nurse directly.

The Laclede County C5 Board of Education has adopted a district policy and an administrative procedure specifically addressing the wellness policies of our district. These can be found at the following links:

Safety & Preparedness: “Stop the Bleed” Trained

At Joel E. Barber, student and staff safety is our absolute highest priority. As part of our proactive commitment to emergency preparedness, our school proudly participates in the national “Stop the Bleed” program.

What is the “Stop the Bleed” Program?

Launched by the White House and led by the American College of Surgeons, Stop the Bleed is a national initiative designed to save lives during emergencies.

Much like CPR training empowers everyday citizens to help during a cardiac arrest, Stop the Bleed trains non-medical bystanders to step in and assist if a serious injury occurs. The program teaches quick, actionable steps to stop life-threatening bleeding—such as applying direct pressure, packing a wound, or using a medical tourniquet—in those crucial minutes before professional first responders arrive on the scene.

How We Are Prepared at Laclede County C-5

To ensure our school is a secure environment for your children, we have fully integrated this program into our safety protocols:

  • Fully Trained Staff: Our teachers, administrators, and support staff have completed hands-on training with Missouri State Highway Patrol trainers to master these vital, life-saving techniques.

  • Equipped Classrooms: Every single classroom in our building is outfitted with an official Stop the Bleed medical kit, ensuring immediate access to critical supplies.

While we always hope these tools and skills will never be needed, our families can rest assured knowing that the Joel E. Barber team is trained, equipped, and empowered to protect our students in any emergency.

Cardiac Preparedness: AED & CPR Readiness

In a medical emergency, every second counts. At Joel E. Barber, we are fully prepared to respond to cardiac situations. Through strategic equipment placement and ongoing staff education, we work hard to ensure a safe environment for our students, staff, and visitors.

Our Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program

An AED is a safe, user-friendly medical device that can guide a bystander through delivering a life-saving shock to someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Here is how we ensure total coverage at Laclede County C-5:

  • Building-Wide Access: AEDs are strategically placed throughout our school building in highly visible, central locations for rapid response.

  • Athletic & Event Safety: Safety doesn’t stop at the school doors. We utilize a dedicated, portable AED that travels to all home and away sporting events to protect our student-athletes, coaches, and spectators.

  • Staff Readiness: All staff members are trained to know the locations of our AEDs and are instructed on how to properly deploy and use them.

American Red Cross CPR Certification

We believe in empowering our team with the skills to save lives. Laclede County C-5 proudly offers formal American Red Cross CPR Certification classes to any staff member who wishes to participate.

To encourage widespread preparedness, the district provides this training completely free of charge to our employees. This ensures that our classrooms, hallways, and playgrounds are constantly under the watchful eyes of certified, ready-to-act professionals.

JEB Wellness Team

Mission

To encourage a positive lifestyle through a culture of balanced wellness.

Vision

To inspire positive lifestyle choices that support the overall well-being of students and staff to meet emotional, social, physical, and nutritional needs. 

The Laclede Co. C-5 School District Board of Education recognizes the importance of the relationship between student/staff well-being and performance, as well as the importance of a comprehensive district wellness program. Therefore, the district will provide developmentally appropriate and sequential nutrition and physical education as well as opportunities for physical activity. The wellness program will be implemented in a multidisciplinary fashion and will be evidence-based. 

The district will establish a wellness committee that consists of staff members, including, but not limited to, the community outreach specialist, school nurse, a physical education teacher, a school food service representative, and an administrator. Parents, community members, the Board of Education, area credentialed nutrition professionals, and student representatives will be invited to participate in the committee as well. 

The district wellness committee will meet a minimum of once per quarter and will be responsible for the development, implementation, and review of the wellness plan. The district wellness committee will name co-chairs each year who will be responsible for ensuring, with the supervision of the superintendent, that the plan is being implemented as stated.

Wellness Committee:

Under the supervision of Dr. Rachelle Jennings, Superintendent.

  • Arlena Armstrong, Elementary Physical Education
  • Aleah Bench, Community Outreach Specialist (Co-Chair)
  • Julie Carr, Gifted Education Teacher
  • Stacey Corneau, Elementary Teacher
  • Heather Hazlewood, Elementary Teacher
  • Heather Nolting, School Nurse (Co-Chair)
  • Edie Pearcy, Food Service Director
  • Ingrid Starnes, Elementary Teacher
  • Kyle Rhoades, Athletic Director

Wellness Plan

The Laclede Co. C-5 School District Triennial Assessment can be found here.

2024 Triennial Assessment

In the 25-26 School Year, the JEB Wellness Committee will host the following events:

Staff Only:
  • Jeans Painting Day – Sept 4th
  • Stitched Sweatshirts – Sept 27th 9-11 am
  • Staff Movie Day – Nov 26th Time TBD
  • Bunny Topiary – March 13th 9am
  • Staff Wicked Trip – April 23rd
Staff and Student:
  • Wellness Wednesday (1st Wednesday in session of each month)
    • Students and staff wear workout gear (wear your JEB Wellness shirt if you purchased one)
  • JEB Boo Bash – October 18th 6pm
  • Student vs Parent/Teacher Dodgeball Night – Mar 26th