Please inform us of any changes in your child’s health that may impact the school day. Changes include, but are not limited to: surgery, allergies, medications, or new medical diagnoses.
- Health Exams
- Health Screenings
- Health Records
- Administration of Medication
- Fire Drills
- Custody/Restraining Orders
A health examination is required of all students upon school entry and upon entering grades K, 4, 7, and 10. Please have your family health care provider complete the Health Exam form and return it to the school nurse-teacher.
Rhode Island Law requires the school department to provide annual screenings for vision (grades K-3, 5, 7, and 9), dental (K-5, and once at the secondary level), hearing (K, 1, 3, 5, and referrals), and scoliosis (grades 6, 7, and 8). It is our goal to conduct these screenings as early in the year as possible in order to identify potential problems. We may begin in the fall and continue throughout the year until all screenings are complete.
To avoid duplication of services, if your child has any of these screenings completed by his/her primary health care provider (doctor or dentist), please have the health care provider forward the results to the school. If we do not have this information for your child, we will include your child for the particular screening according to Rhode Island Law. School nurse/teachers and school medical personnel conduct these screenings.
A complete, cumulative school health record shall be maintained for each student and it may be necessary to request medical information from the parent/guardian to update these records. Whenever a student transfers to another school building or school system the school health record shall be transferred to the health personnel of the school building or school system to which the student is transferring.
Schools should be made aware by parents/guardians of children that have allergies and specific food reactions. Students with these specific allergies (i.e., bee stings, nuts, latex) should have their medication available at school.
Except for emergency medication, only school nurses may administer medication in school. Before medication may be given to a student in school, the following criteria must be met:
- Prescription and non-prescription medication (including Epi pens and inhalers) must be accompanied by a physician’s written order and a signed permission form from a parent/guardian.
- Medication must be in the original labeled container.
- All medication shall be supplied by the parent/guardian,and placed in the care of the nurse or her designee.
- Sending over-the-counter medications, such as cough drops, between home and school is discouraged.
- The nurse MAY NOT dispense aspirin, cough syrup or other medicines unless accompanied by a written doctor’s order.
- A new doctor’s order is needed at the beginning of every school year.
- ALLERGIES: All allergies, especially those related to food, should be brought to the attention of the nurse, your child’s teacher, and the school office.
- No baked goods of any kind are allowed in school to share with other students.
- CONTAGIOUS DISEASES/EXPOSURES: Parents/guardians should notify the school immediately of a communicable disease or condition (strep throat, chicken pox, pink eye, head lice, etc.). Subsequently, notices will be sent home regarding the reported communicable condition in your child’s classroom.
It is necessary that the school secretary or the school nurse be able to contact parents in the event that a child is injured or becomes ill while in school. It is essential that the school have the home telephone number, parent’s employer’s number, and the number of a friend or relative with whom arrangements have been made by the parent to handle emergency situations.
School personnel are trained in First Aid and are authorized to handle minor injuries. However, neither the school nor any staff member is authorized to diagnose or prescribe. In case of emergency, your child will be taken to Kent County Hospital.
In accordance with Rhode Island State Law, fire drills are conducted at regular intervals sixteen times during the school year. It is essential that when the first signal is given, everyone obeys promptly and clears the building by the designated route as quickly as possible. Students are not permitted to talk during fire drills and are to remain outside the building with their teacher until a signal is given to return inside. Evacuation plans are posted in each classroom.
The school’s principal only recognizes court issued custody documents. The school principal must be notified immediately about custody matters, including restraining orders, for the safety of all parties involved.