Health Services

The following are requirements from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for school entry:  

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:

Documentation of a current physical exam (dated within one year).

Current preschool families:   If you submitted a physical when your child started our preschool program,  we need an updated physical for kindergarten (please submit a copy from their 5 year old well visit).  

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Massachusetts State Law requires that all immunizations must be up to date for children to attend school.  Please schedule an appointment if your child is due for their well visit or if they need to catch up on any immunizations.  If you have any barriers to getting your student's vaccinations on time, please contact us.  We can help connect you to local health centers.  

Preschool Entry Requirements:

Hib: 1-4 doses; the number of doses is determined by vaccine product and age the series began

DTaP: 4 doses

Polio: 3 doses

Hepatitis B: 3 doses; laboratory evidence of immunity acceptable

MMR: 1 dose; laboratory evidence of immunity acceptable

Varicella: 1 dose; a physician documented case of chickenpox or laboratory evidence of immunity acceptable

Kindergarten Entry Requirements:

DTaP: 5 doses; 4 doses acceptable if the 4th dose is given on or after the 4th birthday. 

Polio: 4 doses

Hepatitis B: 3 doses; laboratory evidence of immunity acceptable

MMR: 2 doses; laboratory evidence of immunity accepted.

Varicella: 2 doses; a physician documented case of chickenpox or laboratory evidence of immunity acceptable

LAB TEST REQUIREMENTS

Lead Test

Every child entering kindergarten and preschool must have documentation of a lead test.

Lead tests are typically done between the ages of 9-12 months, and  2-3 years.

If your child has not had a lead test, ask your healthcare provider to test your child or you can contact your local health clinic for a lead test.

Tuberculosis Risk

Each school-aged child in a Massachusetts public or private school should have a TB Risk Assessment completed and documented on the school health form. 

In addition to communicating any positive Covid test results , please contact the school nurse if your child

• has a contagious disease, such as strep throat, flu, or chicken pox. This information will help us take necessary steps to protect the health of other students. 
• is hospitalized 
• is excused from physical education. 
• has an injury or illness that may require accommodations during the school day. Examples: 
  • An injury that restricts mobility (e.g., casts, crutches, wheelchairs) 
  • An illness that affects a child's ability to function in school for a full day such as a concussion, infectious mononucleosis (mono), Lyme disease, or recent surgery

Medications (both prescription and over-the-counter drugs) should not be taken during school hours if it is possible to administer them at home.  If your child requires a medication to be given during the school day, it must be brought in by an adult.  Please do NOT send medications in via backpack! We have standing orders for some medications (acetaminophen and ibuprofen) which we may administer as needed in school after consulting with a parent/guardian. For all other medications we need to have signed parent permission and an MD order. These forms can be found on the district website under Health Services.

What to do if your child has COVID-like symptoms?

Symptoms include:  fever (100* or higher), cough, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, new onset severe headache, muscle aches/body aches, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Or

Fatigue (in combination with other symptoms)

Nasal congestion not due to other known causes (in combination with other symptoms)

Please do a home test to rule out Covid.  If your student tests positive for covid, please reach out to the nurse to determine when they are cleared to return to school. 

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Our goal is to have our students outside for recess whenever possible.   If it is raining, snowing, or extreme cold the students will stay in for recess.  Otherwise, please prepare for the students to go out.   They should be dressed appropriately for the weather.  Proper footwear is also very important for this age group.  Closed toe sneakers/shoes are much better for moving around on the playground.  Jackets, hats, gloves and even snow pants and boots should be worn when needed. 

Healthy eyes and vision are very important to a child’s early development and education.  Growing children constantly use their eyes, both at play and in the classroom. Often vision problems in children are not obvious.  Poor vision can cause headaches, fatigue, and may cause children to be more distracted in class. Vision screening is the best way to catch problems early.  In accordance with Massachusetts Department of Health policies, we screen children annually in grades K-5, then again in grade 7 and grade 10. We also screen all of our preschool students.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has approved the use of instrument based screening for children up to age 5.  This year, all kindergarten and preschool students will be tested using the Spot Vision Screener. This is a hand held device that takes a series of photos of the child’s eyes. By analyzing those images, the machine determines if the eye measurements are "in range" or "out of range."    

Kindergarten students will also have their hearing screened.  

These screenings are not diagnostic. If your child does not pass the school vision or hearing screening, you will be notified that your child needs to be referred to a specialist for further evaluation. It is important to make an appointment and return the referral form to the nurse's office when completed so that we can keep your child's health record up to date and make any recommended educational accommodations.

If you would like to exclude your child from any of these screenings, please send a note to the school nurse.

Children must be treated and checked by the school nurse before returning to school. Prevention is the key to controlling this pesky problem. Please inspect your child's hair frequently and call the school nurse if you have any questions.

Click on the Head Lice article below for more info.