WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL
Our goal is to promote student wellness. In order to prevent the spread of illness it is important to keep your child home when they are ill. If your child is sick, keep him or her home, regardless of field trips parties or other special events that may be held at school that day. We ask you to keep your child at home for the following reasons:
Children should be fever-free (100.4) for 24 hours, without medication, before returning to school.
Children with vomiting and diarrhea must be kept home for 24 hours after the last episode.
Children with suspected infectious diseases should be kept home until verification from your health care provider can be obtained.
VISION AND HEARING SCREENINGS
Vision screening will be completed for students in grades K-12. Hearing screening is completed for students in grades K-3, 7 and 11. Students who failed the screening the previous year, or whose teacher indicates a concern will also be screened. All students who fail any screening will receive a referral for follow up by their medical provider. Completed forms should be returned to the school nurse.
Scoliosis is a lateral and rotary curvature of the spine, most commonly found during the adolescent growth period. A Scoliosis Screening is a systematic observation of the spine to detect deviations from normal. Early identification and management of scoliosis is the purpose of the state screening program. The Pennsylvania Department of Health has adopted regulations requiring each child in grades 6 and 7 and age appropriate (11 and 12 years of age) children in ungraded classes to be screened for scoliosis. Students in 6th grade that have not turned in a completed physical exam will be screened by the school nurse. The school physician will reassess any students that do not pass the initial screening with the school nurse.
Physical exams are required in grades K, 6th, and 11th. Physicals should be completed by your child’s primary care provider. If you do not have insurance to cover the cost of the exam, please contact the school nurse for assistance.
Dental exams are required in grades K, 3rd, and 7th. Dental exams should be completed by your child’s dentist. If you do not have dental insurance to cover the cost of the exam, a screening exam can be completed by the school dental hygienist with written permission.
Information about lice and treatment for lice can also be found at the following sites:
More information on lice from National Association of School Nurses Lice Lessons:
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Growth and development lessons will be taught in 5th and 6th grades. The physical education teachers and/or school nurse will teach these presentations. If you would like to have your child excused from either topic, please notify your child’s school principal in writing no later than March 10, 2022.
The Pennsylvania State Laws require that information on AIDS be included in our curriculum. We also believe that to totally educate our students, it is our responsibility to present up-to-date information and emphasize the importance of healthful living. This information will be included in the Growth and Development lessons for 6th grades students.
Body Mass Index (BMI) INFORMATION
As part of the Department of Health’s required Growth Screening Program, all Pennsylvania families with school-aged children in K-12 are to receive notification informing them of their child’s height, weight, BMI, and BMI percentile. The BMI measurement is considered a screening tool and is not a definitive measure of overweight as it does have limitations. The BMI screenings will be done in the future and results will be posted on parent portal of Sapphire. Please call the nurse at your child’s school if you have any questions about the results or would like a paper copy.