Health Services
Introduction to Health Services
CV provides a staff of school nurses and health room nurses in each building. These staff members coordinate state-mandated health programs and are available to handle illness and injury occurring while the child is in school. In addition to providing health room services, the nurses serve as resources to the classroom teacher and community on health-related issues.
All students will receive routine health services unless a parent/guardian submits to the building nurse a written notification of refusal for treatment. Please note that the results of the yearly health screenings will be available on the Parent Portal once results are obtained. If you have any questions, please contact your school nurse.
For Parents/Guardians:
Do Not Send Ill Children to School!
Please do not send your child to school if ill. The school will not provide diagnostic services nor will they allow your child to spend the day in the health room. Likewise, do not expect the nurse to treat/diagnose injuries or illness which occur at home. In both situations, the nurse will contact you and expect you to provide appropriate care including coming for your child. To return to school after illness, the student must be fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication like Tylenol or Advil. A temperature 100.4 or greater is considered a fever.
School Safety: In cases where the principal, counselor, or nurse feels that a child's health or safety is threatened or is a threat to others, they will immediately contact the parent to refer to appropriate community resources. They may also refer to the home/school visitor for any necessary resources.
Parents Responsible for Transportation: Car or Ambulance
School personnel are not permitted to transport ill students for any reason. If your child becomes ill or injured in school, you will be contacted and will be expected to make arrangements for transportation home or to a medical facility. In the event that you cannot be reached, the school may call an ambulance at your expense. Also, in the event of an emergency, the school nurse may call an ambulance before notifying parents/guardian if the nurse feels this action is appropriate.
State-Mandated Services: The state-mandated program requires physical exams for entry to school and at Grades 6 and 11. Dental exams are required for school entry and in Grades 3 and 7. CV recommends that these exams be performed by the family medical practitioner/dentist on forms provided by the school. In addition, vision, height, weight, and body mass index are checked annually. Scoliosis and hearing screenings are completed at intervals required by the state. Forms can be downloaded at www.ConestogaValley.org/health.
Health Clinic Services Not Available in School: The primary function of school health services is preventative in nature. Through classroom presentations and health screening activities, nurses try to teach sound health habits and to detect health problems early. Health room care is available for students who become ill or are injured while in school. Please do not expect the school to handle sickness or injury occurring outside of the school day.
*If students become ill or injured during the school day, they must report to the nurse’s office for evaluation. Students are not permitted to call home from cell phones for parents to pick them up.
Special Medical Services: Special medical services may be handled on an individual basis by contacting the nurse. Parents are expected to provide special equipment.
Immunization Law: Students are required by law to have immunizations up to date with all requirements met within the first five school days of a new school year. Exceptions to this law would be for medical reasons documented by your healthcare provider or religious/moral beliefs. Contact your school nurse if you have questions about immunizations. Low-cost immunizations can be obtained at the PA State Health Center at 1661 Old Philadelphia Pike, Lancaster (717-299-7597). Also, the Lancaster General Hospital’s ChildProtect Program offers immunizations free of charge to persons who are without insurance coverage for immunizations. Information regarding ChildProtect can be obtained by calling 544-3138.
Varicella (chicken pox), Measles, and Pertussis are reportable diseases in Pennsylvania. Please notify the school nurse if you suspect your child has any of these diseases and follow up with your family medical practitioner.
Head Lice: While our school district does not routinely screen for head lice, the school nurses will help families to understand the treatment process which will help to eliminate this problem. School nurses will check other students as needed based on nursing judgment. Contact your school nurse for additional information concerning this issue or visit www.ConestogaValley.org/health
Medication Administration in School
Parents/guardians have the primary responsibility for the health of their children. As a rule, and if at all possible, medication should be taken at home. In the event that a medication needs to be administered during the school day, the parent/guardian must provide the following information:
For students requiring daily prescription medications:
- Written instructions/permission from a healthcare provider
- Written permission from the parent/guardian
For students requiring temporary over-the-counter medications:
- Written permission from the parent/guardian
All medications must be in their original, labeled container. The nurse will supply a medication order form as needed. The form may also be downloaded at www.ConestogaValley.org/health
For their safety, students are prohibited from carrying any controlled substance medications (such as Ritalin, Adderall, or narcotic pain relievers) at any time. Parents/guardians are required to deliver these medications to school personnel in the properly labeled prescription container. Students must deliver any temporary medication to the school nurse upon arrival to the building.
Administering Non-Prescription Medications (Over-the-Counter):
Non-prescription medications will be administered by the school nurse with:
- Written permission from the parent/guardian on the annual health data sheet; the health data sheet is electronic and can be found in the Health eTools Parent Portal for annual completion.
- Written orders from our school physician
Exceptions:
- Inhalers – Students may self-carry emergency inhalers with written permission from the healthcare provider and the parent/guardian. Students using inhalers during the school day must report to the nurse’s office for evaluation immediately following use.
- Emergency Medication -- Students may self-carry asthma inhalers and epinephrine auto injector medications with written permission from the healthcare provider and the parent/guardian.
Please notify the school nurse of any medication changes throughout the year.