Warren Township Schools: Health Office Information and Forms

Health Office Information and Forms

Important Messages	Physical Examinations
Signatures	Sports Forms
Student Attendance	Concussions
Administration of Medication	HPV Vaccine Information
Emergency Care	Meningitis Vaccine Information
Parental Absence From the Area	NJ Family Care
Physical Education Excuses	Nutrition
Casts, Crutches, Splints, Wheelchairs	Flu Information
Tick Awareness

Certified school nurses are employed in all of our school buildings. Health forms related to medication administration require parent and MD signatures. Please have these forms completed by the first day of school. Medical emergency cards are sent home annually on the first day of school and require parent signature. Please return these cards so the nurse has the most up to date medical and contact information. If any of the information on the card changes, please notify the school nurse immediately. If you have any questions regarding health services, please contact the nurse in your child's building.

Important Messages

Communicable Disease Control

In order to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, parents are required to notify the school nurse whenever their child contracts one of the following: chickenpox, conjunctivitis, coxsackie virus, encephalitis, fifths disease, German measles, hepatitis, impetigo, influenza, measles, meningitis, mononucleosis, mumps, molluscum contagiosum, pediculosis (head lice), pneumonia, pinworms, ring worm, scabies, staphylococcal infections, streptococcal infections (including scarlet fever) and tuberculosis. The following links provide further information. Please have your child remain home for at least 24 hours following a fever. The child’s temperature should be taken free from medication such as Tylenol, aspirin, etc.

When to keep your child home.	MRSA	Meningitis	Enterovirus FAQ	Lice	Head Lice Notification
Head Lice to Dead Lice--Nit Check Demo A demonstration of the nit picking techniques featured in the award-winning video, "Head Lice to Dead Lice."

Signatures

Medication orders, permission to resume physical activity (unless already indicated on excuse), excuses for missing more than two days of physical education, reports of physical examinations and requests for home instruction require the SIGNATURE of the physician, dentist, or advanced practical nurse. Originals documents NOT photo copies must be provided.

Student Attendance

Regular attendance is necessary if students are to be successful in their studies. If your child is absent for any reason, please contact your school's Attendance Line before 9:00am. The school will make reasonable attempts to contact the parents of all students who are absent and have not called. This is for the safety of your child. A basic guideline for when your child should stay home from school is provided on the following links.

Illness Guidelines Attendance Matters

Administration of Medication

The following links provide information and required forms on the administration of medications.

Asthma Action Plan	Epinephrine Forms	Diabetes Management Plan	Medication Form
Seizure Form

*Special Note: If you have a child with asthma, diabetes, seizures, or life threatening allergic reactions, please contact the school nurse.

Emergency Care

A child who becomes ill or who is injured at school will be seen by the school nurse.

If, in the nurse's judgment, further care is required, the parent will be notified.
If the parent cannot be reached, the nurse will contact the person designated on the student's emergency card.
Transportation to the home or the source of medical care is to be provided by the parents. In a serious emergency, the services of the local rescue squad will be utilized and the parents notified promptly.

Parental Absence From the Area

If you plan to leave your child in the care of relatives or friends while you are out of the area, please notify the school nurse in writing. Also, please consider providing a notarized letter of permission for the caretaker to act in your place in a medical emergency.

Physical Education Excuses

A parent/guardian note is necessary to excuse a student from physical education and can be used for up to TWO days. If the injury required a doctor's exam, then please send a note from your physician stating how long the student will be excused from gym and/or recess.

IMPORTANT: IF YOU RECEIVED A DOCTOR'S NOTE TO BE EXCUSED FROM GYM AND/OR RECESS, THEN YOU WILL NEED A DOCTOR'S NOTE TO RETURN TO GYM AND/OR RECESS UNLESS THERE IS ALREADY A DATE OF RETURN INDICATED!

Casts, Crutches, Splints, Wheelchairs

If a student has an orthopedic device(s), they must report to the school nurse before reporting to class. This is to ensure safety of the student. Students who have crutches are not allowed to take the bus and arrangements need to be made.

Physical Examinations

An entrance physical examination is required upon school enrollment. For students transferring from a New Jersey school, the entrance exam should be forwarded upon entry. If transferring from out of the state or out of the country, the entry physical exam documentation should be submitted within 30 days of entry.
A physical examination within 365 days of the first practice is required for participation on any interscholastic athletic squad, team or intramural. A health history update is required for each sport season. Every item on the forms must be completed. Incomplete forms will be returned to the student.
It is recommended that every child have at least one physical examination during the elementary years, during the middle school years, and in high school.

New Student Health Requirements

Elementary School Physical Form for MD

Sports Forms

Health History Update
The parent or guardian must complete and sign an updated health history questionnaire if the Physical Exam was conducted 90 or more days prior to the first practice session of the athletic season.

Concussions

For information about what a concussion is, the signs and symptoms and what to do if you suspect that your child has a concussion, and how to prevent from getting a concussion, click on the following link:

Concussions	Acute Concussion Evaluation (ACE )Care Plan

HPV Vaccine Information

The State of New Jersey has required that school districts distribute information to parents of all students in grades 7 through 12 regarding the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Please click on the following link: Information on HPV

Meningitis Vaccine Information

The State of New Jersey has required that school districts distribute information to parents of all students in sixth grade about meningococcal meningitis. Please click on the following link. Meningococcal FAQ

NJ Family Care

NJ Family Care provides free or low cost health insurance for uninsured children and certain low income parents. For more information call 1-800-701-0710 or visit www.njfamilycare.org to apply.

Nutrition

Good nutrition in a vital part of learning and will aid in keeping our students healthy. We have students in our schools that are highly allergic to certain foods and substances. In an attempt to keep our students safe, healthy and not isolated, the district has created a tree nut and peanut free approved list for classroom parties. The following links provide access to our nutrition policy and an approved list of food for classroom parties.

Approved Foods for Classroom School Wide Events

Flu Information

The schools are taking preventative actions to stop the spread of germs. Students and staff are reminded of the following steps to protect their health:

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (or upper arm) when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you are sick with a flu-like illness, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. Staying away from others as much as possible while you are sick, helps keep from making others sick.

The custodial staff continues to routinely clean classrooms, handrails and doorknobs. Please encourage your child to wash hands frequently, and to bring a water bottle to school, rather than using the water fountains.

The single best way to protect against the flu is to be vaccinated each year. It is not too late to obtain the vaccine. Many local pharmacies are offering the vaccine, as well as your private physician. Go to http://www.nj.gov/health/flu/findflushot.shtml to find pharmacies in your area that are giving out the vaccine.

Please keep your child home if they show signs of flu (fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting). If you call your child in on the absence line for an illness, please leave the symptoms your child has, as well as if you have been to the physician and your child was diagnosed with the flu.

Thank you,
The Warren Township School Nurses

A Flu Guide for Parents