Health Office Handbook
On This Page:
- Emergency Information & Contact Updates
- Health Screenings & Examinations
- Required Vaccines
- Medication Administration
- When to Keep Your Child Home
- Extended Absences, Homebound Instruction & Hospitalization
- Food Allergies, Chronic Conditions & Mobility
- PE & Recess Excuses
- Head Lice
- Health Insurance Resources
Emergency Information & Contact Updates
Accurate emergency contact information is essential to the care of your child. Please review and update your information in PowerSchool at the start of every school year.
Update Your Information Every Year
Only individuals listed on your student's contact list in PowerSchool may pick up your student or authorize them to leave the building — this includes parents and guardians. If you are not listed, we cannot release your child to you, and we will only contact the individuals on this list. Please make sure your list is complete and accurate before the school year begins, and update it any time your information changes.
Pickup Within 30 Minutes
School health facilities are designed for temporary care only. Please have a plan in place that would allow your child to be picked up within 30 minutes of being notified of an illness or injury. In elementary and middle school, students must be picked up from the nurse's office.
Health Screenings & Examinations
Pennsylvania law (Chapter 23, Section 1402) requires the following screenings and examinations. These are not a substitute for regular check-ups with your child's physician or dentist.
Mandated Health Screenings
| Screening | Grades |
|---|---|
| Height, Weight & BMI |
|
| Vision |
|
| Hearing |
|
| Scoliosis |
|
Examinations
| Examination | Grades |
|---|---|
| Physical Examination |
|
| Dental Examination |
|
Immunization Requirements
Under Pennsylvania law, all students in grades K–12, including those in public, private, parochial, intermediate unit, and home school programs, must provide written proof of immunization before attending school. Your child cannot start school until their records have been submitted to and approved by the Certified School Nurse, who will review them and notify you if any vaccines are missing.
| Grade/ School Entry Point | Required Vaccines |
|---|---|
| All Students K–12 | Students who are entering school are required to have the following properly spaced vaccines:
|
| Grade 7 | Students entering GRADE 7 are required to have the following vaccines before the first day of school in addition to the above vaccines:
|
| Grade 12 | Students entering GRADE 12:are required to have the following vaccines before the first day of school in addition to the above vaccines:
|
| New Students | All vaccines above must be on file before the first day of school, or the student must have received at least the first dose in each required series. |
Incomplete Series — What Happens
- A student entering school must have received at least one dose of each required vaccine.
- If the next dose is medically appropriate, it must be received within the first five days of school.
- If the next dose is not yet medically appropriate, a signed medical plan from a licensed Pennsylvania healthcare provider is required within five days of school, indicating when the immunization will be given.
- Failure to comply may result in exclusion from school.
Medical Exemptions: Must be signed by a licensed PA physician, physician assistant, or CRNP. Chiropractor certifications are not accepted. A specific antigen must be named in the exemption.
Religious Exemptions: Must be submitted in writing and signed by a parent or guardian, stating the reason and specific vaccines covered. Students with exemptions may be removed from school during a disease outbreak.
Medication Administration
All medications administered at school require a completed authorization form by a Pennsylvania Licensed Healthcare Provider and parent/guardian. Please contact your school nurse at the beginning of the year to discuss any medication needs.
All Medications Require a Completed Authorization Form
- This applies to all medications including:
- All over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and cough drops.
- All prescription medications.
- All medications must be FDA-approved
Medications:
Prescription & Non-Prescription
Medications must be:
- Dated on or after July 1st of the new school year.
- Delivered to the school nurse by a parent or guardian (not sent with the student).
- In the original, properly labeled container.
- Accompanied by a completed Medication Authorization Form.
- A new medication order is required for each medication that the student is prescribed.
- Each medication requires the signature of a Pennsylvania-licensed MD/DO, CRNP or PA and the student’s parent/guardian.
- Prescription medication must come in the labeled pharmacy container with the current dosing instructions on the label.
Self-Carry & Self-Administration
Students may carry and self-administer certain medications (such as inhalers or epinephrine auto-injectors) if specific written authorization from both a parent/guardian and a licensed healthcare provider is on file with the school nurse. Refer to the Medication Policy for complete details on medication administration.
Per the state of Pennsylvania, students are only permitted to self carry/self-administer the following
medications:
- Epinephrine Auto Injectors
- Rescue Inhalers
- Diabetic medications/supplies
Illness or Injury During the School Day
Basic health care is available in the nurse's office for any illness or injury that occurs during school hours. We will notify you about an illness or injury as the situation warrants.
What the nurse can and cannot do
- By law, school nurses are not permitted to make a diagnosis or prescribe treatment.
- The nurse is also unable to treat injuries that occurred at home.
In an emergency
- The District is not equipped to provide advanced emergency care. If your child needs urgent medical attention, they will be transported to an emergency care facility by a local ambulance service at the direction of the nurse. You will be notified as quickly as possible.
- If your child is transported for emergency care, they will need medical clearance from a Pennsylvania Licensed Healthcare Provider before returning to school.
When to Keep Your Child Home
If your child is experiencing any of the following, please keep them home as directed:
- Fever of 100°F or higher: Your child must be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication before returning to school.
- Vomiting or diarrhea: Your child must be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning.
- Contagious illness (strep, pink eye, or antibiotic-requiring infection): Your child must have been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours before returning.
- Suspected contagious disease or rash: A parent/guardian will be contacted to pick your child up, and a diagnostic referral will be given. The referral must be completed and your child cleared by a licensed healthcare provider before returning to school. Your child must then check in through the nurse's office with the completed referral.
- Acute cold or cough affecting ability to function: If symptoms prevent your child from concentrating or participating in class.
Mt. Lebanon School District Health Services Department utilizes the Allegheny County Health Department's “Guide to Infectious Diseases for Schools and Daycare Centers” when determining if a child should be sent home for illness or disease and when a child should return to school after an infectious illness.
Questions about a specific illness or situation? Contact your school nurse directly before sending your child to school.
Extended Absences, Homebound Instruction & Hospitalization
Parents should inform the school nurse regarding any extended absences due to illness or injury. A signed parent note is typically sufficient documentation; however, a statement from a Pennsylvania-licensed physician may be required under certain circumstances.
Homebound Instruction
- Available when illness or injury prevents attendance for more than 10 days.
- Requires a written statement from a licensed healthcare provider describing the need.
- When approved, certified teachers provide 5 hours of instruction per week.
- The student is considered present for attendance purposes.
- A clearance note from a licensed healthcare provider is required to return to in-person instruction.
- Request forms are available in the principal's office.
- All notes from the licensed healthcare provider will need to be turned into the nurses office.
Hospitalization
- When a student is hospitalized or in any type of inpatient rehabilitation program parent/guardian should inform their child’s principal, school counselor
and certified school nurse. - When ready to return, notify the principal, nurse, and school counselor in advance.
- Request a planning meeting with the school team before returning.
- Provide a clearance note from a licensed healthcare provider with the return date and any needed accommodations.
Food Allergies, Chronic Conditions & Mobility
Food Allergies
Due to the growing number of students with food allergies, foods provided at school-sanctioned events should not contain nuts or peanut ingredients. All cafeteria foods are clearly labeled. Contact Food Service for full ingredient information.
If your child has a life-threatening allergy, contact your school nurse before the start of the school year. An individual health and safety plan will be developed for your child. Epinephrine Auto Injectors are available throughout all school buildings and may be used by trained staff in an emergency.
Chronic Health Conditions
If your child has a chronic health condition, including asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, or other ongoing medical needs, please contact your school nurse before the start of school so an Individual Health Plan (IHP) can be put in place. Keep this information current throughout the year to ensure your child receives the best care possible.
Mobility Devices & Elevator Use
If your child requires crutches, a walker, wheelchair, or elevator access, a note from a licensed healthcare provider is required. The note must include start and end dates for the accommodation. Submit this note to the school nurse's office.
Physical Education & Recess Excuses
Short absences (up to two classes): Your child may be excused from physical education for up to two (2) consecutive classes with a note from a parent or guardian explaining the reason. Please notify both your child’s physical education teacher and school nurse regarding their excuse.
Longer absences (more than two classes): Beyond two consecutive classes, you'll need a note signed by a physician, certified nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant. Please make sure that note includes:
- The reason for the excuse and the specific dates your child should be excused.
- Any accommodations your child will need (secondary students only).
- Whether a mobility device or elevator will be needed, including the dates required (the licensed provider must state this directly on the note).
- A clear length of exclusion — a provider's note is also required before your child can return to any activity after a medical excuse.
Important Notes
- Slings, braces, wraps, stitches, and similar: A student wearing any of these must be excused from both gym and recess until a licensed healthcare provider removes them and provides a note confirming so.
- Ongoing or chronic conditions: If your child will not be able to participate for a longer stretch, we may be able to arrange physical education accommodations with a licensed provider's order. Please contact your child's [school nurse / physical education teacher] to set this up.
- For elementary families: Gym and recess go together. If your child is excused from one, they're excused from both. A provider's note must fully release your child before they can return to gym and recess.
Head Lice
If your child has head lice, please let us know. A quick call to the school nurse is one of the most helpful things you can do. It protects other students and helps prevent your own child from being reinfected. There's no need for embarrassment; head lice are common, and we're here to help.
When our nursing office learns of an active case of live lice, here's what happens:
- We contact the parent or guardian.
- The child goes home for treatment.
- When the child returns to school after treatment, our nursing staff rechecks them.
- We continue periodic checks for the next four weeks.
- We may check the child's classmates, always with confidentiality maintained.
If only nits (eggs) remain after treatment, your child is welcome to stay in school. We'll simply reach out so you can check your child's head at home and remove any remaining nits.
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
The Children's Health Insurance Program — or CHIP — is Pennsylvania's resource to provide health coverage to uninsured children and teens who are not eligible for or enrolled in Medicaid (also called Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania). Regardless of the reasons your children might not have health insurance, CHIP may be able to help you.