Health Services

If your child is sick, we ask that you please keep them home from school in order to prevent spreading illness to other students and staff. Due to the recent Coronavirus pandemic, students are now expected to stay home if they have any of the following symptoms:

Fever greater than 100.4 degrees
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Chills
Fatigue
Muscle pain or body aches
Headache
Sore throat
Loss of taste or smell
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Please speak with your school nurse of physician about when your student can return to school; Different symptoms require different levels of precaution. The school nurse is available to help you navigate this. 

If a student is found to be unwell at school, we will ask they be picked up as soon as possible. Please be sure the school has updated contact information and emergency contacts on file. 

Basic first aid will be used to treat minor injuries. Parents will be notified of more serious injuries. In the event of an emergency, parents will be notified as soon as possible, and the nurse (or any adult present, if the nurse is unavailable) will respond. If the injury appears to be serious, 911 will be called and the student will be transported to the nearest emergency room for treatment. We will continually call parents on home, work, and mobile numbers until we reach you. 

It is important that your child visit the doctor every year for a check-up, also known as a "well child check". This yearly visit allows your child's physician to screen for potential health concerns, update vaccinations, check your child's vision, and make sure your child is healthy, happy, and thriving. It also helps to create a trusting relationship between your child and his/her doctor, creates an opportunity for teaching about healthy habits, and helps to establish early on that regular healthcare visits are important. 

It is also important that your child receive regular dental care. It is recommended that children visit a dentist for a routine cleaning twice a year. Dental health relates directly to overall health; many health problems are associated with poor dental hygiene. Good oral health can prevent pain, decay, and extra dental visits and procedures. 

If you are struggling to find a doctor or dentist, need help with insurance, or need help overcoming other hurdles that keep your family from visiting the doctor or dentist, please reach out to your primary care provider, school nurse, or other assistance program who can point you in the right direction.

If your child needs prescription medication during the school day, you must complete the Prescription Medication Order and Permission form. The medication must be brought to school by a parent/guardian in its original bottle with pharmacy label. The pharmacy can provide a second labeled bottle for school purposes. The school nurse will approve and administer the first dose of any prescription medication. Subsequent doses may be administered by another trained designee if the School Nurse is unavailable. 

With parental/guardian consent, we can offer your child over-the-counter medication such as Tylenol or Advil when needed. These medicines will be given according to package instructions. Other over-the-counter medications can be given if provided by parents in their original packaging, with signed permission. 

All medication will be stored in the nurse’s office, with the exception of some emergency medications and inhalers. These types of medications may be carried or stored by the student or classroom teacher, when appropriate, only with signed physician and parent consent. Please contact the school nurse for the appropriate forms for self-administration of medications.

The school performs vision and hearing screenings for all students in grades pre-K, K, 1, 3, and 5.  These screenings typically occur in the fall. If a child fails a hearing or vision screening, it will be repeated at a later date to be sure the student understood the test, and that illness or other circumstances did not interfere with the results. If the student fails again, parents will be notified. Screenings may be performed at other times or on students in other grades, if requested. 

We do not routinely screen height, weight, or blood pressure.

Vermont State Law requires that all students receive specific immunizations in order to attend school. Those who are missing required immunizations are admitted to school temporarily until the vaccines can be completed. Parents/guardians seeking medical or religious exemption for their child must complete paperwork yearly. 

Schools are required to keep up to date immunization records for each student, so please let the school nurse know if your child receives immunizations throughout the school year.

The school takes steps to keep children with serious allergies healthy, safe, and included in all school activities. If your student has a serious allergy, please communicate this to the school nurse, and feel free to contact the nurse with questions about our allergy protocols. 

It is recommended that you check your child’s head for head lice often. Talk with your child about avoiding head-to-head contact, sharing brushes/combs, and sharing hats. Please alert the school nurse if live lice are found. Contact the school nurse or your child’s physician if you have questions about how to check for head lice or how to respond when they are found. 

COVID-19 policies, information, and resources can be found here.