Junior High School

Nurse

Health Services

The school nurse is on duty during the school day. If a student is ill, they are to report to their class and request permission from the teacher to report to the nurse. NO student will be admitted without a pass.

The school nurse can be reached by phone or email at 897-2100 extension 2145 / rdewey@hcsd.iu5.org.

Immunization

Proposed Immunization Changes

The PA Health regulations mandate the following immunization series as legal requirements for entry to school:

Children entering:

All grades (k-12)	Grades K or 1	7th Grade
3 doses of tetanus* 3 of diphtheria* 3 doses of polio 2 doses of measles 1 dose of mumps 1 dose of rubella (German measles)**	4 doses of tetanus* (one on or after the 4th birthday) 4 doses of diphtheria* (one on or after the 4th birthday) 3 doses of polio 2 doses of measles 1 dose of mumps 1 dose of rubella (German measles)** 3 doses of hepatitis B 1 dose of varicella (Chickenpox) or history of disease	3 doses of tetanus* 3 doses of diphtheria>3 doses of polio 2 doses of measles* 1 dose of mumps 1 dose of rubella (German measles) 3 doses of hepatitis B Age appropriate doses of varicella (Chickenpox) or history of disease

*Usually given as DTP or DtaP or DT or Td
**Usually given as MMR / First dose on or after first birthday

The only exemptions to the school laws for the immunizations are:

Medical reasons
Religious beliefs

If your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be removed from school during an outbreak.

Please contact your school nurse or the Erie County Department of Health (451-6777) if you have questions regarding your child’s immunizations.

CHIPS

Uninsured children under 19 years of age in Pennsylvania may be eligible for free or low-cost health insurance. The cost is $0-$30 per month, depending on family size and income. For more information call: 1-800-543-7105

Physical and Dental Examinations

A complete physical for your child each year is important to your child’s overall well being. This is a time for you and your child to address any concerns you may have with your child’s health care provider. Health screenings also occur during these visits and safety and illness prevention is covered during these visits. While it is understandable that you may not visit your health care provider for "well check ups", the following ages are important times because they are times of marked growth changes and maturity. It is because of these growth changes that the Pennsylvania Department of Health requires that school age students receive a physical exam during the follow years:

Kindergarten or Grade one
Sixth Grade (6)
Eleventh Grade (11)

If you do not have a private health care provider, or cannot afford to have your child see your health care provider for "well child checkups", the school district does provide this service for children in the above grades. Please contact your school nurse’s office to obtain information on when physicals will be completed in the school year.

Dental health is also important for your child. Children whose teeth are decayed often have difficulty eating, concentrating, and performing well academically. It is recommended that your child be seen by your family dentist every 6 months starting between the ages of 2-4 for routine cleaning and inspection of their teeth. Dental exams are required for school age children in the following grades:

Kindergarten or Grade one
Grade three (3)
Grade seven (7)

Again, if you cannot afford dental care for your child or do not have a family dentist, the school district provides dental screenings by the District Dentist for students in the above grades. Please contact your nurse’s office for questions about this service.

Medication Policy

All medications possessed by a student on school property must be registered with the nurse. Medication shall include all medicines prescribed by a physician and any over-the-counter medicines. Students should not have medications with them during school hours.

The nurse may dispense no medication without a written order by the doctor or parent/guardian signifying the name of the medication, dosage and the reason for giving the medication.

All medications shall be administered by the school nurse or designee, or self-administered by the student upon written request.