HEALTH SCREENINGS
Required by state law. Vision, hearing and dental screenings are performed in accordance with the Department of Health Regulations for School Health to determine if a problem or concern may exist. If there is a concern during a screening, your child will be re-screened on a different day. If there may be a potential problem or concern after the second screening, you will be notified by letter.
VISION SCREENING
All children have a vision screening annually in October. If the child fails twice, a form letter is sent home via the child, informing the parent of the results. If your child should bring home such a letter, please follow up with an eye doctor and return the form to the school nurse.
HEARING SCREENING
Children in Grades Pre-School , K, 1, and 3, as well will have a hearing screening done at school, according to the Rhode Island State law. If your child fails the screening, a form letter is sent home via the child, informing the parent of the results. If your child should bring home such a letter, please have him/her examined by your own doctor or an audiologist. The Rhode Island State Hearing Center at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf will do the screening at no cost. The completed form should be returned to the school nurse, so the results can be recorded in the child's health records.
DENTAL SCREENING
A dental examination is required every year at, preferably by your family dentist. Yellow dental cards are provided for all students. All students currently enrolled in school receive a card in June for the following year. The only way the school nurse knows that the child has been examined by a dentist is if the parent returns the completed dental card. If a card is not received, the child will be examined by the school dentist. If a parent is not sure whether or not the school nurse has received a copy of this card, please contact the nurse at the school.
ILLNESS
A child's ability to learn, perform and behave can depend on how a child feels physically. We ask that sick children remain at home if their illness is, or may be, contagious and could cause illness in other children. We ask your cooperation by calling the school and informing us as soon as possible so we can detect similar illnesses in others sooner.
If your child becomes ill at school, you will be called to pick him/her up. If your child has special medical or health problems, please inform the school nurse.
WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME
Here are some guidelines:
TEMPERATURE
Your child MUST remain home if he/she has a fever over 100º. Doctors recommend that your child be fever-free, without medication, for 24 hours before returning to school.
DIARRHEA
VOMITING
Your child must not have vomited for 24 hours prior to returning to school.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES/ CONDITION
Your child must remain home when he/she shows symptoms of a contagious disease such as strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink eye), flu, impetigo, ringworm, or if head lice is suspected. Please feel free to call the school nurse if you have any questions.
If your child has continuous, uncontrollable nasal discharge, this increases the risk of exposure and illness to other children and staff, please keep your child at home.
Thank you for your cooperation in following these health precautions to protect your child and other children from illnesses. We know it can be difficult for working parents to have a sick child at home.
HEAD LICE POLICY
Anyone can contact head lice. Having head lice does not indicate poor hygiene. Head lice do not cause disease, but are a time-consuming nuisance. If the school nurse finds evidence of head lice, the child will be sent home for the parent to administer treatment. (Family doctors, the school nurse and pharmacists can provide treatment advice.) Upon completion of this treatment and before the child is allowed back in school, he/she must be re-examined by the school nurse. School policies indicate that all nits (eggs) must be removed before returning to school. This is a time-consuming but necessary task that helps ensure that the head lice do not spread to others. Please call the school nurse if you suspect head lice, so that other children in the classroom can be checked.
SPECIAL HEALTH CONCERNS
If your child has a specific health concern, please notify the nurse (asthma, severe allergy, diabetes, etc.) so that appropriate measure/planning can take place specific to your child.
EMERGENCY CARDS
It is very important that you complete your child's yellow Emergency Card. Please keep the information on the card current so that the school staff can easily contact the appropriate authorized person if your child becomes ill or is hurt while in school. For the safety of all children, the child will be released only to those people listed on the emergency card.
RECESS
Unless it is raining or below 20º, your child will spend some time outside every day at recess. Depending upon the season, hats, gloves, sweaters, coats, etc. may be needed, especially for early morning recess before the start of school. Please mark your child's belongings with his/her name
Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions or concerns so we may work together to provide for the safety and well being of your child.