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School
health includes health education, a healthy environment and health services.
Health content is included to help our students prepare for a healthy lifestyle.
Health services include a variety of activities, including mental health
services offered by the school counselors and social worker and the lunch
program offered in the cafeteria. Please read the following information about
health in school.
HEALTH
SCREENING.
The state mandates vision and hearing screening for all kindergarten, 1st,
3rd, 5th and 9th graders and students new to
the district. In addition, 7th graders are screened for vision. If
any problems are identified, parents/guardians will be notified. If a student
has had a vision or hearing exam during the past year, they may be excused from
this testing upon a written report from their health care provider. Students
should have their corrective lenses with them in school at all times.
IMMUNIZATIONS.
All students in Ohio are required to have up-to-date immunizations documented
and on file. Contact your health care provider or the Greene County Combined
Health District at 374-5600 for their immunization clinic schedule. Students
will be excluded, but not excused, from school on the 15th day of
school if immunization mandates are not met. See the link for required
immunizations.
At the
beginning of the school year you will be given a form for EMERGENCY MEDICAL
AUTHORIZATION.
Please return this form to the school as soon as possible. We use these forms
whenever a student travels off-campus or has a health concern at school. State
law requires that it be updated annually. It is important that you include
telephone numbers that can be used to contact you in an emergency. Also, please
include the names and numbers of individuals nearby who can be contacted in the
case of emergency or illness if you are unavailable. Consent for medical
treatment covers only an emergency as determined by emergency medical services.
It does not mean that you are consenting for routine care. Your student will not
be able to participate in any field trips, special activities or off-campus
activities until this authorization is completed and returned. Please include
any health conditions that may affect your student.
HEALTH
IN SCHOOL.
Health is an important factor in being able to learn. Please be sure that your
student is well rested and nourished before coming to school each day. Students
need to have adequate food and beverages during the day, so please help them
plan for this on a daily basis. Personal hygiene is important for health and
self-esteem. Please work with us to encourage students to be responsible and
accountable in being clean, well groomed and dressed appropriately.
ILLNESS. If
your student is sick in the morning, please do not send him/her to school with a
temperature above 100 degrees or if you have been told that they have a
communicable disease and have been on medication for less than 24 hours. Notify
the school office of the absence. If your student is identified as having a
possible communicable disease (such as impetigo, conjunctivitis or ‘pink eye’,
or lice), you will need to pick them up from school immediately. Do not return
the student to school until treatment has occurred or there is documentation
that the child is free of communicable disease. If a student complains of not
feeling well during the school day and has a temperature above 100 degrees, you
or someone indicated on your emergency authorization form will be notified to
pick up the student. If there is no fever and the student is unwilling to return
to class activities, you will be notified. There is no clinic in the school, and
only limited space to rest. Licensed health care personnel are not in the
building during each day. First aid will be offered, but anything exceeding
first aid will be referred to you or the emergency squad for treatment. The
single most effective prevention against the spread of disease is proper hand
washing before eating and after toileting!
MEDICATIONS.
Ohio law allows schools to assist with the self-administration of medications if
the medication is necessary for the student to be able to attend school and
cannot be scheduled outside of school hours. District policy requires all
medications to be registered with the principal’s office. In order to be able to
take medications during the school day, there must be a completed signed request
(Form 5330) on file in the principal’s office. If you are anticipating going to
a health care provider, you may want to take a form with you. All medication
must be delivered in the original container by the parent or guardian.
Medication will not be accepted for administration from the student. Be sure
to ask your pharmacist to prepare and label a container for both home and
school. Because unlicensed personnel will be assisting with medication
administration, it is critical that all forms and steps are followed precisely.
Medications must have been given under the supervision of parents with no
adverse effects before the student can take the medication at school.
Prescription medication must be accompanied by a signed authorization from the
health care provider.
Medication that needs to be given temporarily and that is over-the-counter (for
example, Benadryl, Tylenol, nasal sprays, Ibuprofen, cough suppressants, topical
ointments) should be planned for administration outside of the school hours.
However, if that medication is necessary for the student to attend school, you
may complete a non-prescription medication request form and deliver the
medication in the original container to the school. Parents/guardians unable to
meet the requirements for the school to assist with the administration of
medication are welcome to come to the school to supervise the administration of
the medication to their student. Students are not permitted to carry medications
on their person (except those emergency medications authorized by the licensed
health care provider, requested by a parent, and approved by the principal).
Medications must have been given under the supervision of parents with no
adverse effects before the student can take the medication at school.
SPECIAL HEALTH NEEDS.
Some students have special health needs that require accommodations in school or
a plan in the event of an emergency. Conditions such as asthma, seizure
disorder, diabetes, bleeding disorders, severe allergies, and anaphylaxis,
require a plan. If your student has a known health condition, please call the
school to talk to the school nurse about making sure that there is a plan in
place in the case of an emergency for your student. Forms regarding allergies
and asthma are available on this website and can be sent to the school nurse.
Good
health is a responsibility of the entire community. Keep in mind that smoking is
not permitted on our school grounds or in the school buildings. Please observe
the safety regulations around the school buildings and encourage your students
to practice safe health habits such as:
Wearing
seat belts
Wearing
bike helmets
Wearing
protective gear with skateboards and roller blades
Using
crosswalks
Staying
away from construction areas
Avoiding
risky situations
Getting
plenty of rest
Eating
well
Sharing
their concerns with you
Please
contact the school nurse if you want to
talk about specific health concerns or if you are interested in helping to
promote health in our schools.
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