General Medical Info for New Students

Dear Parent or Guardian:

Here is some medical information that you may find useful throughout the school year. 
Following the CDC and local health departments guidelines, we ask you to check your child’s temperature and signs of COVID-19 if they are not feeling well. If your child has a fever >100.0 or other signs of being ill, please keep your child home. If your child has been sent home with symptoms of COVID-19, he/she can not return to school without a physician’s note to return with an alternate diagnosis or negative COVID test. Students need to be fever free (less than 100 degrees) for 24 hours before returning to school. Communicable illness exclusions are specific to the disease or illness. The school nurse will address specific illness exclusion time with you.

A child with a rash should be kept at home until a doctor determines the cause. A note to return is required.  A sore throat, particularly with an elevated temperature, requires medical attention and a note to return to school.

Any type of contagious disease such as chicken pox, strep throat and conjunctivitis (eye infections) must be reported to the school nurse, and require a note to return to school by the treating physician

Students being excused for an illness by the nurse must be picked up by a parent appointed responsible adult. They may not remain in school for the remainder of the day nor may they ride the school bus home.

Head lice (pediculosis) requires prompt and thorough treatment.  A child who persistently scratches his/her head should be inspected for evidence of head lice.  Small white eggs (nits) attach to individual hairs and are quite evident at the back of the head and behind the ears.  Lice and their nits may continue to live off the body for up to 30 days and may re-infect the patient and others.  Family members should all be examined and, if infected, treated simultaneously.  Children should be instructed not to exchange combs, hair brushes, and hats as lice are easily spread by these personal items.  The school nurse should be informed when head lice are found in a child’s head.  Children may not return to school until the school nurse has examined their head before they enter the classroom.  

Prescription and non-prescription medications, creams and lotions, and medicated cough drops or throat lozenges can only be given to a student by the principal, teacher, or nurse.  The child’s doctor and parent must complete a form available at the school before medication can be given.  The medication should be delivered to the nurse or principal, by the parent/guardian in the original druggist’s container properly labeled or in the original package.

A physical examination is required before entering kindergarten.  To be accepted, the physical examination must have been obtained after September 1 of the previous year.  Private or school physicals (for those who qualify) are required in grades 6 and 10.  Physicals are accepted after July 1st through June 30th of the student’s 6th and 10th grade year.

Any change in a pupil’s health status should be reported to the school nurse.  Change of telephone number, address, work number, emergency number, or doctor should also be reported.   If you are leaving town, inform the school who is responsible for your child in your absence.

Allyson Rovetto M.D. 
District Medical Advisor    
revised 2/23