Nurse's Office

From Nurse Hooven

Welcome to Weymouth Township School District's Health Office!

First, allow me to introduce myself, Nurse Lauryn, and the School Health Office. There are many questions that will come up during the school year. Some of these will be answered here. Some of the policies that are in place regarding health and wellness will be discussed below.

 

IMMUNIZATIONS/ PHYSICALS: Have your child’s shot record and physical up to date. The State of New Jersey requires that a child MUST be kept home if his/her immunizations are not current or if a physical from a physician is not on file. (Student’s less than 5 years old are REQUIRED to have an influenza vaccination prior to December 31st.)  

FOOD ALLERGIES: If your child has any food allergies, including dairy, specific foods, dyes, etc. please have this documented by your child’s doctor for our records. This is a state requirement for our food service department. You can send a note in with your child or have your doctor fax it to the school at 609-476-3966. The cafeteria will be made aware of your students' allergies listed on the emergency form.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL: Medicine should be given at home, if possible. If this is not possible, you must pick up the proper forms in the nurse’s office or access here. Students are not allowed to take medication of any kind in school without a physician’s order. This includes “over the counter” medication (Tylenol, Advil, lozenges). A licensed physician must issue a note. Written orders are to be provided to the school from the private physician, detailing the diagnosis or type of illness involved, the name of the drug, dosage and time of administration. The medication should be brought to the school in the original container, appropriately labeled by the pharmacy or physician. A new note is needed for any change of medication. You must also sign a parental permission form. Medication is NEVER to be sent in with your child. Any medication that is brought in without a doctor’s note will be held in the nurse’s office for the parent to pick up.  

SENDING SICK CHILDREN TO SCHOOL: Students should never be sent to school if they have a fever, are vomiting, have diarrhea, a continuous cough, or COVID-compatible symptoms at home. Students must be excluded from school if they have a temperature of 100°F or greater, or if they have had vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours. If your child has an open skin rash or red, itchy, draining eyes then they should also stay home until it has resolved. If your child is sent home with an unidentified skin rash or red, itchy, draining eyes then they will need a doctor’s note to return to school. Please make every effort to keep your child home when they are sick. Not only will they be unable to learn, but they could also infect other children. 

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES - Guidelines are on our website for exclusion from school provided by the New Jersey Department of Health. This is not an all-inclusive list of significant diseases or a comprehensive guide about the diseases or conditions for that please see your family doctor or contact your local Health Department. Please refer to Weymouth Township School Safe Return Plan 2021-2022.

ASTHMA: If your child has asthma, they should have medication available at school in case of an attack. Precious moments are wasted and could be life threatening if your child does not have asthma medication at school. Forms for you and your doctor to fill out for asthma medication are available in the health office. If we do not have the proper medication on hand, we will have to call 911 in the event of an emergency.

EMERGENCY FORMS: A Medical History Questionnaire, which was sent home on the first day of school, must be completed and returned. If there are any changes to this information throughout the school year, please contact me, as soon as possible, with those changes. It is very important that we have current phone numbers in the event that we need to reach you.  A copy of this form goes with your student on class trips and for sports/after school programs so the more thorough you are the more helpful in case of an emergency.

YEARLY SCREENINGS: Height, weight, and blood pressure are done on each child throughout the school year. Periodically your child will also receive a vision and/or hearing screening. If your child fails a screening or has a discrepancy in weight or blood pressure, you will receive a notice with suggested follow-up. Scoliosis screenings are done in 5^th and 7^th grades. We also check your child’s BMI (body mass index) in 3^rd, 6^th and 8^th grades.

INJURIES: Please note that INJURIES that occur outside of the school or school functions are the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Children will not be treated for any complaints or concerns that occur over the weekend or functions/activities that are not school related.  Due to the number of students visiting the nurse’s office on a regular day, it would be difficult to inform each parent as to every incident. The nurse uses a variety of ways to communicate from explaining the information to the student, to a nurse’s note and if needed a phone call. Please check your child’s folder and remember to ask your child how their day was at school. Please keep your emergency information up to date and remember to have a backup plan in case your child needs to be picked up from school.  I also strongly recommend parents/guardians to review the Weymouth Township School District 2022-2023 Student and Parent Handbook.  Please refer to page 11.  This contains important information under sections:  Health Services, Medication Policy, Physical Examination Requirement, and Immunization.  Thank you in advance for your attention to these important matters. These guidelines are to ensure the safety and well-being of all of our students and staff. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

Lauryn Hooven, School Nurse

(609) 476-2412, ext. 312

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