Health Office Guidelines
HEALTH OFFICE GUIDELINES
- Students who are not feeling well should not be sent to school. Parents will be notified if a child becomes ill at school. He will be sent home if he has an elevated temperature, if he may be exposing others to infection or if he feels so ill that he cannot participate in classroom activities. Parents are responsible for providing transportation for sick students when they are notified.
- Unless we are notified about the absence of a student, school personnel will call the parents of students who are absent each day. Parents are requested to call the school after 8:00 A.M. whenever a child will be absent.
- Any student returning from an absence must bring a note from the parent/guardian stating why he/she was not at school. Students who do not present a written note within three days will be sent to the principal’s office.
- Students returning to school following a communicable illness must be seen by the school nurse before returning to class. In order to return to school a physician’s statement may be required for chicken pox, strep, and pink eye. Strep throat is an extremely communicable illness. Please have your child remain at home until the physician calls you with the results of your child’s throat culture. It is better to bring your child into school late, then to send your child to school when they are ill. Your child’s classmates may also become ill from being exposed to a child who is ill.
- All students at school are expected to participate in the outdoor recreation periods. They must be properly dressed for the prevailing weather conditions. If a student is well enough to come to school, then he/she is expected to go out on the playground after lunch.
- A physical exam is required for admission to school for all newly transferred students from out of district. A physical exam and Mantoux Test are required for admission to school for all newly transferred students from out of state or out of the country.
- Parents/guardians should be aware of the importance of obtaining a physical exam at least once during each of the students developmental stages: early childhood (pre-school through grade three), pre-adolescence (grade 4-grade 6), and adolescence (grade 7 -grade 12).
- During the course of the school year, your child will have a hearing/vision screening as well as a height and weight check. A suggestion would be to have your child checked by a specialist, as his/her equipment is more specialized. Scoliosis screening is required of all fourth graders either by the school nurse or your own doctor.
- Requests to have a child not participate in our physical education class and/or walk-run activity will also be considered as a request that precludes participation in playground activities and special Field Day activities for the duration of the medical excuse. Gym excuses are to be issued by the school nurse. To obtain an excuse you must:
1. Have a note from a parent for a one or two day excuse.
2. Have a doctor’s note for three or more days.
Repeated parental requests for gym excuses may require a doctor’s note.
10. Requests for payment of medical bills shall not be presented to the Vernon Township Board of Education. The Board, as a public body, under the Statutes of the State of New Jersey, assumes no responsibility or liability for such claims for medical payments. Such payments are made only as a result of adjudication through the courts.
- If you need to confer with the nurse at length regarding your son or daughter, please call and a time after school will be arranged. The time during school hours is needed for working with the students, and the phone in the health office needs to be available for emergency calls as well.
- Statutes of the State of New Jersey require full immunizations for all students in schools across the state prior to entering school. Parents are urged to contact their school nurse should they have any questions.
- To help us in case of emergency, please be sure to fill out the emergency card distributed to your child at the beginning of the school year and update if needed.
- Head Lice Infestation – click here to view our policy
REGARDING ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION IN SCHOOL
A. Medication given in school by the school nurse – Medication will be given in school only when a student’s attendance depends on the timely administration for such medication. “Medication” as per this law means any prescription drug, prescribed over the counter medicine including but not limited to aspirin and cough medications. Requests for the administration of medication in school must be made in writing and signed by the physician (form available from the school nurse). PLEASE NOTE: All medication must be in original prescription bottle.
B. Self-administration of medication for life-threatening illness (such as asthma)
- Parent/guardian must provide the Board of Education with a written authorization from the student’s physician for the self-administration of medication). PARENTAL HAND WRITTEN NOTES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
- Parent/guardian must submit written certification from the physician that the student has asthma or another potentially life threatening illness and is capable of and has been instructed in the proper use of the medication (form available from school nurse)
- Permission to self-administer one medication shall not be interpreted as permission to self-administer other medication.
PLEASE NOTE: THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE BOARD AND ITS EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS SHALL INCUR NO LIABILITY AS A RESULT OF ANY INJURY ARISING FROM THE SELF-ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION BY THE STUDENT.
STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO TRANSPORT MEDICATION TO AND FROM SCHOOL. PARENTS/GUARDIANS MUST DELIVER AND PICK UP ALL MEDICATIONS USED BY STUDENTS IN SCHOOL.
NOTE: ALL MEDICATIONS MUST BE IN THE ORIGINAL PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE. PARENTAL HAND WRITTEN NOTES CAN NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED TO ADMINISTER MEDICATION. THE NEW REGULATION REQUIRES PHYSICIAN PERMISSION ONLY, AS EXPLAINED ABOVE.
All medications must be kept in the Health Office. If you have any questions concerning these regulations, please contact the school nurse. Thank you for your cooperation.