Our goal is to keep students healthy and safe so they can get the best out of their education. We take care of any health related needs while your child is at school, such as medication administration, basic first aid and NYS mandated screenings (hearing, vision, scoliosis). Physical Exams are required for: New Entrants, Pre-K or Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 11th-graders. For the child entering a required physical year, a physical performed during the previous school year would actually satisfy the physical requirement. If you plan to schedule a physical during the school year, this will work also. Please notify the nurses office of upcoming appointments and provide a copy of the physical after it's completed.

Vision, Hearing and Scoliosis screenings are done throughout the school year. Notification will only be sent home if the results are not within normal limits. If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse.

Do not come to school when you are sick. If your child gets sick, it is often most appropriate to keep them home from school. A child who is sick will not be able to perform well in school and is likely to spread the illness to other children and staff. Please make arrangements for childcare ahead of time so you will not be caught without a place for your child to stay if they are ill.

Our school procedure is to have your child stay out of school for the following conditions:

1. Fever in the past 24 hours
2. Vomiting in the past 24 hours
3. Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
4. Chills
5. Sore throat
6. Strep Throat (must have been taking an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school)
7. Bad cough, with a very runny nose or bad cough, especially if it has kept the child awake at night

If your child becomes ill at school and the teacher or school nurse feel the child is too sick to benefit from school or is contagious to other children, you will be called to come and take him/her home from school. It is essential that your child's teacher/nurse have a phone number where you can be contacted during the day and an emergency number in the event you cannot be reached. Please be sure that arrangements can be made to transport your child home from school and that childcare is available in case of illness. If your daytime or emergency phone number change during the school year, please notify your child's nurse immediately.

These guidelines are meant to serve the best interests of all the children in our schools.

One dose of meningococcal vaccine is required before 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grade. If your child had the first dose as a sixth-grader, then another dose is not required until 12th grade. A total of two doses will be required before 12th grade. Most students entering 12th grade got their first dose when they were younger and are now due for their second dose, or booster. This booster is needed because protection from the vaccine decreases over time. The only teens who will not need a second dose before 12th grade are those who got their first dose on or after their 16th birthday. It's best to check with your doctor to see whether or not your child needs the vaccine. Students who are not up-to-date will not be allowed to attend school unless they are vaccinated.

To prevent Communicable Disease and due to New York State requirement, all students must be immunized; no student will be allowed to attend Fulton City School District without proof of the state minimum requirements. Acceptable proof of immunization should be provided in a form of certificate from a physician or clinic specifying types and dates of immunization or disease or blood test results that show proof of immunity. When a range exists, the NYS Department of Health may require your child to receive the higher dosage.

Please send proof of immunization to the school nurse where your child will be attending school in the fall. Proof of immunization must be any one of the three items listed below:

• An immunization certificate signed by your healthcare provider
• Immunization Registry report (NYSIIS or CIR from NYC) from your healthcare provider or your county health department
• A blood test (titer) lab report that proves your child is immune to the diseases
  • For varicella (chickenpox), a note from your health care provider (MD, NP, PA) which says your child had the disease is also acceptable

• Kindergartners without proof of starting their immunizations may NOT start school. Telling the nurse the date and place of shots does not help. New York State requires actual proof (signed documents) of the beginning of the mandatory immunizations.

The school nurse will contact parents of children delayed in their immunization schedules. 

The nurse cannot give medications safely or legally unless these steps are followed:

• Written permission from parent/guardian.
• Written note/instructions from child’s doctor stating:
  
  • Name of medication
  • Amount of dose
  • Time does should be given
  • Length of administration
  • Diagnosis and/or reason for medication
  • Doctor/Provider signature
• Medication must be in pharmacy-labeled, childproof container. Non-prescription medicine must be in an un-opened store package that will be kept here at school  (for example, Tylenol).
• Parent/guardian brings medication to the nurse’s office.

This refers to all medications, including over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprofen, cough syrups, cough drops, etc.

Medications administered at school must be carried into the nurse's office by an adult. The medication must be presented with a MD script indicating school hour administration, a written parental request for school administration and be in the original container; same rules apply for over-the-counter medication.

State laws prohibit us from giving any medication without a MD order. School nurses do not have supplies of over-the-counter medications in their offices.

Medicine should never be sent to school in plastic bags or containers; only in the original packaging. Your cooperation is appreciated.