HEALTH SERVICES:  NURSE'S OFFICE

Absence Procedure

Please notify the School Nurses’ Office by 7:30 a.m. to report your child’s absence. (908--204-2615.)

• Please state clearly your child’s name, grade, teacher and reason for absence.
• A phone call to the School Nurse should be made on the morning of each day that your child is absent.
• Students can keep up with homework by viewing teacher webpages.
• Absences of three or more days – Parent may notify the Guidance Department to request homework.
• For extended absences - Those absences anticipated to be 10 days or more (due to illness or injury) should be discussed with the School Nurses as Home Instruction may be offered pending approval of the child’s physician and Bernards Township Public School’s District Physician.

Readmittance to School Following an Absence

Students returning to school following an absence should:

• Please see the Nurse prior to homeroom in order to obtain an Admittance to Homeroom Pass, which the student will then render to his / her homeroom teacher.
• A doctor’s note is required for those students who were absent due to a contagious illness, for example:
• Strep throat, conjunctivitis (pink-eye), influenza or flu-like symptoms with cough and nasal congestion with secretions, illness in which fever was present, skin rash and similar illnesses and any injury that may require an exclusion from Physical Education class for more than three days.
• Students returning to school following Home Instruction should also report to the nurse for an Admittance to Homeroom Pass.
  
  

MEDICATION POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Bernard’s Township Public Schools Policy 5330 requires that any medication including over the counter medications (except Tylenol, if approved in writing on the emergency card) requires a completed Request to Administer Medication Form that contains the following information: 

• Parental Permission
• Physician’s Order – Diagnosis, Medication, Dosage, Route, Time, Side Effects, Length of Treatment, Activity restrictions.
• Medication must be delivered in the original labeled bottle to the school nurse by parent/guardian.  Students may not bring medications to school on their person or in his/her backpack.
• Medication Forms may be obtained from the school nurse or guidance department.
• Guidelines for Parent/Guardian and for Physician/ Advanced Practice Nurse are included with Medication Forms.  Please read these carefully.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS

• A physical exam is required for all new entrants. Physicals are to be completed between September 1 of the year your child is entering school and September 1 of the previous year.
• The school nurse or the guidance department will render the Health History and Physical Examination forms to the parents of new entrants during registration.
• Parents are asked to return the Health History form to the school nurse as soon as possible.
• The Physical Exam should be completed within one month of school entrance.
• The school nurse should be notified of any health condition as soon as possible.
  
  

PHYSICAL EDUCATION EXCUSES

• Physical Education Excuses extending beyond three days require a physician’s written order.
  
• A parent note is acceptable for one to three days.
  
• The school nurse can render a Physical Education excuse for one day.
  
• Students in possession of a P.E. excuse for three or more days are to report to the library. They are expected to use this time in a productive manner.
  
• Students requiring a P.E. excuse should report to the school nurse prior to homeroom.
  
• If an Injury Pass is warranted, the school nurse will render one to your child
  at the same time as the P.E. excuse. A copy of the Injury Pass procedure will be given to your child.

 INJURY PASSES

• Injury Passes are rendered to a student requiring extra time
  to and from classes due to an illness or injury.
  
• The student will be given an Injury Pass usually at the same time that a Physical Education excuse is rendered. This usually occurs at the beginning of the school day, prior to homeroom.
  
• The Injury Pass lists the Procedures that the student should follow
  while in possession of this pass.
  
• The nurse and guidance counselor will keep a copy of the student’s Injury Pass.

SCREENINGS

• Height, weight, vision and hearing screenings are performed on
  all new entrants and on all 6^th and 8^th graders annually.
  
• 7th Grade Screenings include: Height, Weight, Blood pressure and Hearing Screenings.
  
• A phone call to parent and referral letters are sent home with students when warranted.
  
• A phone call to parent and letters concerning more sensitive follow-up such as nutrition counseling are mailed home.
  
• Scoliosis screenings are performed biennially for all students between the ages of 10 to 18. Written notification regarding Scoliosis screenings performed in the Spring is sent home in March. Written referral notification to parents is mailed home when follow-up with a personal physician or orthopedist is recommended by our District Physician.

 REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS