Elementary Handbook

EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

The nurse’s office maintains Emergency Contact/Release Information for each student. This information facilitates the care of an ill or injured student as well as provides nursing office staff with routine contact and release information. Only those persons, (including parents/guardians), indicated on this document will be contacted and can give permission for the student to leave the building. In Elementary and Middle School, the child must be picked up from the nurse’s  office. Facilities are available for temporary care only. Parents should develop a plan that would allow their child to be picked up from school within a half hour of notification of an illness or an injury.

It is essential that parents keep this information current. Please update EACH SCHOOL YEAR your emergency contact numbers/medical information via dashboard for each child in your household that attends the District Schools. To update your child’s Emergency Contact/Release Information go to the Parent Dashboard under Account Preferences. Families with more than one Dashboard account should contact their child’s building secretary to update.

Electronic Emergency Contact/Release Letter

6/2021; 8/2021

Basic health care is available in the nurse’s office for any illness or injury that occurs during the school day hours. Parents are notified for an illness or injury as the case warrants.

The district is not equipped to provide advanced emergency care.  Students needing urgent medical attention (per the direction of the nurse) will be transported to an emergency care facility by a local ambulance service. 

Parents/guardians should contact their child’s certified school nurse for any special healthcare needs of their child or if your child requires medication during the school day hours. Also, please keep this information current to insure that your child is receiving the best care possible.

Information regarding your child’s health status may be shared as needed with school personnel that your child comes in contact with.  Please refer to Handbooks for further information

READMITTANCE TO SCHOOL

If your child needs to be out of school for surgery/illness/accident, please notify your child’s nurse’s office so that a treatment plan to ensure their safe return to school can be completed.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION/RECESS EXCUSES

Your child may be excused from physical education and/or recess for two (2) consecutive classes with a note from a parent/guardian stating the reason for such.

• If a child is out of physical education for any medical reason, then they are also out of recess (if Elementary).  

• If an Elementary child is out of recess, then they are also out of physical education.

If your child needs to remain out of physical education and/or recess for longer than two (2) consecutive classes, a note signed from a Physician, Certified Nurse Practitioner or Physician’s Assistant will be required thereafter.

That note should include the following:

• reason for exclusion from physical education classes and/or recess and dates to be excluded

• any accommodations that will be needed (secondary only for physical education classes)- including any academic ones

• if crutches or elevator will be needed, the licensed provider must state that on their note and the dates required

• the length of exclusion - a note is required for a student to return to any activity once being out for a medical reason.

• if a student has any type of sling, brace, ace, stitches, etc. on their body they are to be excluded from gym and recess until it is removed by a licensed healthcare provider and a note stating such or it becomes a chronic issue and the need to wear the apparatus becomes more constant - that will then require a separate note from your child’s licensed healthcare provider

• If your child will not be able to participate in physical education classes or recess due to a lengthy condition, physical education  accommodations in the secondary grades may be able to be made with a licensed health care provider’s order. Please contact your child’s certified school nurse and their physical education teacher for assistance with this.

• If a child is out of physical education classes for any medical reason, then they are also out of recess (if Elementary).  (If an Elementary child is out of recess, then they are also out of physical education classes).

6/2021; 8/2021

Students must provide a note from their Pennsylvania Licensed Physician, Physician’s Assistant (PA), and/or a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) to be excused from physical participation due to injuries (e.g. broken bones, concussion, etc) and/or illness.  Notes from Licensed personnel should be submitted directly to the nurse’s office.  Students that require the use of any mobility devices need to have a note stating such (with beginning and end dates) from a Pennsylvania Licensed Physician. Physician's Assistant and/or a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner. 

A modified Physical Education Checklist may be available for students with extended medical excuses (see the Phys. Ed teacher).  Students however, may not participate in gym or recess,  while under medical supervision for an acute injury that requires stitches, crutches, slings, casts, etc.  

A written note from a Pennsylvania Licensed Physician, Physician’s Assistant (PA), and/or a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP) is then required for reentry into gym, etc.  Notes should include a signature from one of the above Licensed Healthcare Providers, reason for excuse, beginning and end dates and any medical equipment or apparatus needed for the student (ex. Cast, sling, brace, crutches, etc). 

Any injury that requires a student to use the elevator must have a written request from either their Pennsylvania Licensed Physician, Physician’s Assistant (PA), and/or a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (CRNP), as any injury that is severe enough to prevent a student from bearing weight on the stairs should be evaluated by a medical professional. 

A parent note may be presented for missing no more than 2 Phys Ed. classes for a minor illness or injury that does not require any mobility apparatus or stitches, etc.  

Due to the increasing number of children with food related allergies/restrictions, food provided for school sanctioned events should not contain nuts or peanut ingredients.  Foods sold in the cafeteria are clearly labeled - parents may also contact the Food Service Department for ingredient lists.  Students are responsible for choosing their food purchases.

A health and safety procedure is established for all students with life threatening allergies/food issues.  Parents are asked to contact their child’s certified school nurse to discuss the health and safety procedures for their child at the beginning of the school year and as needed throughout it. 

In the event of a life threatening allergic reaction, (known and unknown allergies), Epinephrine Auto Injectors are available for use by trained staff throughout the school complex.

The positive action of reporting an incidence of head lice to your child’s school cannot be overstated. Parents who treat their child for lice and do not report it to the school risk the infestation of others and the reinfestation of their own child.  When the nurses office is notified of a student with a positive case of live lice, the following occurs: 

• Parent is contacted

• Child sent home for treatment

• Child rechecked by nursing staff upon return to school after treatment has been completed

• Continued checks for 4 weeks

• The class of the infected person may be checked with confidentiality being maintained.

Parents/guardians of children found to have only nits after treatment will be contacted to check their child’s head and remove the nits, but are not excluded from school. 

If your child does not have health insurance, free or low cost coverage is available through Pennsylvania Children’s Health Insurance Program, (CHIP). CHIP is administered by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and the coverage is for quality medical services through regular health insurance companies. Applications for CHIP are available in all the school nurse’s offices or you may call 1-800-986-KIDS.  http://www.chipcoverpakiksa.com/

6/2021

When lengthy illness (more than 10 days) prevents a student from attending school, homebound instruction may be requested by the parent.  The parent must obtain a written statement from a physician describing the need for homebound instruction.  When approved, the school arranges for certified teachers to instruct a student at home or in the hospital for five (5) hours per week.  During homebound instruction, the student is considered present in school for attendance purposes. 

When homebound instruction is no longer needed, a clearance note from a Pennsylvania Licensed Physician , Physicians Assistant and/or Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner is needed in order for the student to resume in person instruction. 

Forms to request instruction are available in the principal’s office.  Homebound instruction is intended for short term absences of a month or less.

When a student is in a hospital or any type of inpatient rehabilitation program, the parent should inform their child’s Principal AND Certified School Nurse.  When the student is ready to return to school, the parent should notify:

• The Principal, Certified School Nurse and School Counselor in advance and a meeting requested with the parent and student for planning purposes

• Provide a note from a Pennsylvania Licensed Physician, Physician’s Assistant and/or a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner with date of return to school and any accommodations that may be needed.

Parents are encouraged to notify the nurse of any illness or injury which results in a long absence from school.  A parent’s written statement for a school absence related to illness is generally all that is required, however, in special circumstances, a Pennsylvania Licensed Physician’s statement may be requested.

28 PA.Code, Chapter 23, Chapter C requires that all children, Kindergarten through 12th , including all public, private, parochial, intermediate unit and home schooled students, show written proof of immunizations before they can attend school in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Your child will not be permitted to attend school until proof of immunizations have been submitted and approved by the Certified School Nurse.

Students who are entering school are required to have the following properly spaced vaccines:

• 4 doses of Tetanus, Diphtheria and Acellular pertussis
  • 1 dose on or after 4th birthday; 3 doses if series started on or after 7 years of age
• 4 doses of Polio
  • 4th dose on or after 4th birthday or 3 doses if last one is on or after 4th birthday with proper spacing
• 2 doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (usually given as MMR)
  • 1st one on or after 1st birthday

• 3 doses of Hepatitis B with proper spacing

• 2 doses of Varicella (chicken pox) 
  • 1st one on or after 1st birthday
  • OR written statement from physician/designee/parent indicating month and year of disease
  • OR serologic proof of immunity

Students entering GRADE 7 are required to have the following vaccines in addition to the above vaccines:

• 1 dose of Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap)

• 1 dose of Meningitis (MCV4)

Students entering GRADE 12 are required to have the following vaccine in addition to the above vaccines:

• 2nd dose of Meningitis (MCV4)

A child entering school on the first day must have had at least one dose of the above vaccinations or risk exclusion.

• If the child does not have all the doses listed above, and the next dose is medically appropriate, (with the proper spacing), the child must receive that dose within the first five days of school or risk exclusion

• If the next dose is not the final dose of the series and/or the next dose is not medically appropriate, the child must provide a medical plan, signed by a Pennsylvania Licensed Physician, Physicians Assistant and/or Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner indicating when and/or if the immunization will be administered. This medical plan is due within the first five days of school or risk exclusion. 

The Allegheny County Health Department (412-578-8060) is available to provide school required vaccines to children. Please refer to their website (https://www.alleghenycounty.us/healthdepartment).

Only Pennsylvania Licensed Physicians, Doctors of Osteopathy, Physicians Assistant, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners and/or designated Health Department personnel can sign for medical exemptions.  Chiropractor’s certifications for medical exemptions are not acceptable.  A medical exemption for a specific antigen (s) should be documented in the statement of exemption.  All other immunizations are still required.

Statements of religious exemptions or strong or ethical conviction opposing immunization must be submitted in writing and signed by a parent/guardian, stating reason and to which vaccines the child is exempt from.

If a child is exempt (medical or religious) from immunizations, he/she/they may be removed from school during a disease outbreak.

Pennsylvania law mandates the following screenings:

• Vision - Grades K-12 annually

• Hearing - Grades K-3, 7 and 11.  Also parent or teacher referrals and students who have known hearing loss

• Height and Weight and BMI % - Grades K-12 annually

• Scoliosis - Grades 6 and 7

Pennsylvania law mandates the following examinations: 

• Physical - Grades K, 6, 11 and/or upon first enter into school in Pennsylvania 
  • Children transferred from other school systems in Pennsylvania shall be examined as soon as possible after the transfer regardless of their age or grade if an adequate health record is not made available by the original school.  Outside of Pennsylvania transfers/new students shall be required to have a new physical.
• Dental - Grades K,3, 7 and/or upon first enter into school in Pennsylvania
  • Children transferred from other school systems in Pennsylvania shall be examined as soon as possible (either by their own dentist or the school dentist) after the transfer regardless of their age or grade, if an adequate health record is not made available by the original school. Outside of Pennsylvania transfers/new students shall be required to have a new dental.

Parents are encouraged to have the physical/dental examinations performed by their child’s Pennsylvania Licensed Healthcare provider, since he/she is aware of their child’s health history and status.  These examinations are at the parents expense and are to be submitted to the child’s nurses office.  

If you prefer,upon parent/guardian request and permission, the school physician or dentist will complete these examinations during the school year at the expense of the district.

The administration of medication, both prescription and non-prescription, during school hours, is strongly discouraged for safety reasons and to limit traffic in the nurse’s office.  However, if a Pennsylvania Licensed Physician, Physicians Assistant and/or Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner deems it medically necessary for a student to take an FDA approved medication, either prescription or non-prescription, during the school day, please abide by the following procedure:  

• Medication orders must be dated on or after July 1st of the new school year

• Both prescription and over the counter (non-prescription) medications require an order form a licensed prescriber.  

• A new medication order is required for each medication that the student is prescribed (example: Benadryl and an Epinephrine Auto Injector need two (2) different orders).

• Each medication requires the signature of a Pennsylvania Licensed MD/DO, CRNP or PA AND the student’s parent/guardian. The medication form must be turned in to the nurse’s office before any medication can be given by the nurse.

• Prescription medication must come in the labeled pharmacy container with the current dosing instructions on the label.  
  • Each time there would be a dosage change of the same medication, along with a new order, a new pharmacy labeled container with new instructions must be submitted.

• Over the counter medication must come in the original, unopened container and must match the dosage/type on the medication form. (example: if liquid Tylenol is ordered then liquid Tylenol must be brought in).

• Please be mindful of the medication’s expiration date.  Expired medications cannot be administered in the school district.

• No Herbal remedies/oils are FDA approved for administration in a school setting

It is the responsibility of the student to report to the nurse’s office for his/her medication.  Please remember that your child may not receive his/her medication if these procedures are not followed.

Per the state of Pennsylvania, students are only permitted to self carry the following medications:

• Epinephrine Auto Injectors

• Rescue Inhalers

• Diabetic medications/supplies

Please be aware it is a violation of the district’s drug and alcohol policy to self-carry any medication with the only exceptions being: Rescue Inhalers, Epinephrine Auto Injectors and insulin pumps/pens/supplies.

In order for students to self- carry the above mentioned emergency medications the following steps are required: 

• All paperwork must be completed and submitted to the nurse’s office 

• Paperwork is reviewed by a certified school nurse and the student completes the self carry assessment with the certified school nurse in order to self carry their medication.

Refer to the Medication Policy for complete details on medication administration.