ABSENCES 

Please call absences in daily.  A signed letter must be provided to the health office within 48 hours of the student's return to school stating the reason for the absence. 

Students with flu-like illness should stay home from school and limit contact with others.  If your child develops flu-like symptoms they should stay home for at least 24 hours after their symptoms end and are fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications.  During school, if your child is found to have flu like symptoms parents/guardians will be called to pick up student.  Please have updated contact numbers on file.  Emergency contacts should be local and be available to pick up students promptly. 

ACCIDENTS

In the event your child is injured during school hours, he or she must report to the person in charge of the activity and to the School Nurse.  Immediate first aid will be given.  If further medical attention is required, parent/guardian will be contacted.  An Accident Report will be filled out and if necessary an insurance claim form will be  completed and  sent  to the parent/guardian.

ILLNESS

If your child doesn't feel well, his or her complaints will be evaulated.  If they appear minor, the child will be allowed to rest for a few minutes before returning to class.  If there is a temperature above 100, vomiting, or any other suspicion of a contagious condition, parent/guardian will be called immediately and expected to take the child home or to a physician. 

RETURN TO SCHOOL AFTER AN ILLNESS/SURGERY OR INJURY

Prior to a child's return to school after a communicable, contagious, or infectious illness, other prolonged illness, injury or surgery,  or condition that poses risk to the health, safety or welfare of the student or others, a note from the child's healthcare provider is required to advise that 1- the child is cleared to return  to school, 2-  whether or not there are any restrictions on the child's return to school ie- participation in physical activities or afterschool activities, and 3- whether or not the child is required to use crutches or other equipment and for how long.  Upon receipt of a written note clearing a child to return to school, the School may, in an appropriate case, request that the child's healthcare provider advise whether or not the child is a danger to him/herself or others. 

IMMUNIZATION LAW & REQUIREMENTS

Immunization requirements

Students entering seventh and 12th grades must be vaccinated against meningococcal disease and have an up-to-date immunization record. View the 2019-2020 immunization requirements set by the New York State Department of Health. https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2370.pdf

• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis Vaccine (DTaP/DTP):  3 doses

• Polio Vaccine (IPV/OPV):  3-4 doses (See your doctor for individual dosing requirements.)

• Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine (MMR):  2 doses

• Hepatitis B:  3 doses

• Tdap:  1 dose (Not required until the child is 11 years of age.)

• Varicella (Chicken Pox):  2 doses

• Meningitis: 1 dose (Not required until the child is entering 7^th grade.) 

• Meningococcal disease fact sheet (New York State Department of Health)

Please check with your healthcare provider for your child's immunization status.  All documentation must be on file in the Health Office prior to September 1, 2019. 

NYS Public Health Law, Section 2164 mandates that schools shall not permit a child to be admitted unless the parent provides the school with a certificate of immunization or proof from a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant that the child is in process of receiving the required immunizations. 

Immunizations must be documented by your healthcare provider, health department where your child received the immunizations, or must be from an official copy of the immunization record from the child's previous school (a copy of the original immunization record from the healthcare provider, not a copy of the school health record).  All immunizations must specify that exact date each immunization was administered.  Your child will not be permitted to attend school without the necessary verification of immunizations. 

Learn more about the non-medical exemption from school vaccination requirements

On June 13, 2019 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation removing non-medical exemptions from school vaccination requirements for children. The United States is currently experiencing the worst outbreak of measles in more than 25 years, with outbreaks in pockets of New York primarily driving the crisis.

As a result of non-medical vaccination exemptions, many communities across New York have unacceptably low rates of vaccination, and those unvaccinated children can often attend school where they may spread the disease to other unvaccinated students, some of whom cannot receive vaccines due to medical conditions. This new law will help protect the public amid this ongoing outbreak.

What did the new law do?

As of June 13, 2019, there is no longer a religious exemption to the requirement that children be vaccinated against measles and other diseases to attend either:

• public, private or parochial school, or;
• child day care settings.

What did the new law do?

As of June 13, 2019, there is no longer a religious exemption to the requirement that children be vaccinated against measles and other diseases to attend either:

• public, private or parochial school, or;
• child day care settings.

For those children who had a religious exemption to vaccination, what are the deadlines for being vaccinated?

Children who are attending child day care or public, private or parochial school, and who had a religious exemption to required immunizations, must now receive the first age appropriate dose in each immunization series by June 28, 2019 to attend or remain in school or child day care. Also, by July 14, 2019, parents and guardians of such children must show that they have made appointments for all required follow-up doses. The deadlines for follow-up doses depend on the vaccine.

The New York State Department of Health follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices catch-up immunization schedule and expects children to receive required doses consistent with https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/child/0-18yrs-child-combined-schedule.pdf 

What is the deadline for first dose vaccinations if my child is not attending school until September?

Parents and guardians of all children who do not have their required immunizations are encouraged to have them receive the first dose as soon as possible. The deadline for obtaining first dose vaccinations for children attending school in the fall is 14 days from the first day of school. Within 30 days of the first day of school, parents and guardians of such children must show that they have made appointments for all required follow-up doses.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION EXCUSES:

Physical Education is mandated by New York State Law as part of the school curriculum.  If your child is unable to participate in physical education for the day, a written note from the parent or guardian must be given to the School Nurse with the date and reason for the excuse.  If your child is unable to participate in PE for more than one week, a physician's note stating the reason and the length of time to be excluded will be required.  If your child is excused from PE, he or she is not to participate in other areas of physical activity such as school sports and recess.  All Physical Education excuses must be given to the School Nurse prior to the student's scheduled PE class. 

STUDENT HEALTH EXAMINATION:

NYS requires a physical examination for students entering Pre-K, K, 1, 3, 5 and 7 and all students transferring into St. Stephen- St. Edward School.  The form is due in the Health Office 30 days from the date of school entry.  Please have your physician complete the Student Health Examination form.  New students must present a verified copy of all immunizations.  Students whose immunizations are already on file only need to present proof of any additional immunizations they receive. 

DENTAL EXAMINATION:

A law recently enacted that expands health screenings to include the dental health of students in New York State.  The district requires that your child have a dental examination performed. 

MEDICATION POLICY:

NO STUDENT IS TO BRING TO TAKE MEDICATION OF ANY KIND IN SCHOOL UNLESS THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURE IS FOLLOWED:

Medication of any kind cannot legally be dispensed to any child without a physician's order and parental consent.  Medications that can be taken at home before or after school should be arranged in this manner. If it is absolutely necessary to take medication during school hours, please follow this procedure:  parent/guardian must obtain a form from the Health Office for the physician to fill out and sign or the physician may write up: name of medication prescribed, dosage, side effects, time to be given, and parent/guardian must also sign the form.

The parent/guardian must bring in the bottle from the pharmacy with the label attached.  CHILDREN ARE NOT TO BRING IN MEDICATION.  If a child brings in the medication, it will be taken from him/her and not given until the parent comes to school with necessary forms and identifies the medication.  ANY CHILD SEEN WITH MEDICATION BY ANY SCHOOL PERSONNEL WILL HAVE THE MEDICATION TAKEN FROM THEM.  IF THE PARENT DOES NOT PICK IT UP, IT WILL BE DISPOSED OF. 

St. Stephen St. Edward School policy requires that all medication must be picked up by a parent/guardian on or before the last day of school.  Any remaining medication will be disposed of at the close of the last day. 

SCREENINGS:

The district's School Health Services program supports your child's academic success by promoting health in the school setting.  One way to provide care for your child is by performing the health screenings as mandated by New York State. 

During the school year, the following screenings will be required or completed at school:

Vision- distance acuity for all new students, and students entering K, 1, 3, 5, and 7. Near vision acuity and color perception screening for all newly entering students.

Hearing- screening done for all newly entering students, K, 1, 3, 5, and 7.

Scoliosis- scoliosis (spinal curvature) screening for all female students Grades 5 and 7.  Males students will be screened in Grade 9.

A letter will be sent home if there are any findings on the school screening that would cause concern or need medical follow up.  If you have any questions, please call the School Nurse.