Student Health & Mental Health Resources

Home Health Guidance Document 

HEALTH SERVICES

Health services are provided by the Wentworth School District for the purposes of response to illness and accidents and for health education for the prevention and control of disease and accidents.  The school nurse provides:

1.  Daily health care assessments and responses to illness and accidents.

2.  Referrals for health problems.

3.  Maintenance of anecdotal, individual school health records.

4. Liaison between Health Care Deliverers and the school. Students who become ill, or have an accident, will be sent or brought to the Health Office.  The school nurse will respond to each individual as the need demands.  Thus, it is essential to have on file accurate phone numbers of parents/guardians and emergency contacts.

Health Office Referrals

If a student is in need of health office services, it is the student’s responsibility to ask a teacher for permission.

It may become necessary to refer a student to their physician, dentist, optometrist, etc. during the school year.  A slip, indicating the reason for the referral, will be sent home with the student for the parent/guardian to sign and return to the school within 48 hours.

Additional information may be required from the Health Care Deliverer in order to respond to the student’s health needs in the most appropriate manner.

In case of acute illness or accident, an emergency referral may be made to the family physician or hospital. Immediate notification will be made to the parent/guardian or emergency contact person.

Health Records

An individual, anecdotal record is kept for all students at Wentworth Elementary School. This record includes information regarding immunization, weight, height, vision/hearing screening and responses for care given in the Health Office. This information is confidential.  Information given from these records is only that which affects student education (i.e., height/weight) for athletic programs. Information requested by Health Care Deliverers and schools to which a student is to be transferred will be released upon parent/guardian authorization to do so.

Liaison Between Health Care Deliverers and the School

If it is necessary to carry out a health care plan in the school, information will be requested from the appropriate person(s) in order for the school to respond to the student’s needs in the event of an emergency. The parent /guardian will be asked to sign a release of information in order for us to request this information. In some instances, the Health Care Deliverer will request information from the school that will be pertinent to the child’s health care plan. Again, parents/guardians will be requested to release this information to the appropriate person(s).

At all times, parents/guardians are requested to keep the school informed of the student’s health regarding accidents and diseases that occur when school is not in session. This includes updating immunizations received at a private physician’s office.

Medication, Prescription and Non-Prescription

Students who need prescribed medication administered during the school day should notify the school nurse.  A Health Office form is available from the nurse to help organize the details of distributing prescription medication.  Parents/Guardians need to sign this form.

Non-Prescription medications shall be given only with the written request and permission of the parent/guardian. ALL non-prescription medications shall be delivered to the school in an unopened container. No opened bottles of over the counter medications will be accepted.  Students are not allowed to carry medications on them or keep them in their lockers.

Use of Inhalers and Epipens

Students will be able to carry their rescue inhaler and/or epipen with them during school hours provided they submit to the nurse written permission from their doctor and parent/guardian.  Other routinely used inhalers or other rescue medicines should be left at home or in the Health Office along with appropriate permission forms, provider orders, and action plans.

Physical Examinations

Students transferring into the District must give evidence of a physical examination (within the past year) within thirty (30) days of school entry. Student athletes must have a current physical on file clearing them for sports before participating in any sport.

Health screenings are completed on all students, which include:

1. Vision and hearing tests

2. Height and weight checks

3. Head checks for lice (as needed)

Our school nurse performs these screenings in the privacy of the nurse’s office. The results of these screenings will be available to any parent upon request, for their child only. Otherwise, the school nurse will notify only parents whose child was found to have results needing a follow-up with a physician will be notified by the school nurse.

These screenings are not mandated by the state of NH; however, our purpose in completing these screenings is to provide early intervention for the wellbeing of your child. When a child has difficulty in any of these areas, it is our hope to intervene early by providing the parent with the information, making it possible for you to follow up with the appropriate physician, when needed.

If you choose to not have your child participate in any of these health screenings, please call the school and ask to speak with the school nurse and notify her of this.

When to keep children home from school

• Flu or COVID symptoms

• Fever over 100 degrees

• Diarrhea or vomiting within the last 24 hours

• Persistent upset stomach or headaches

• Persistent sore throat with fever or swollen glands

• Mysterious rash

• Suspected or known head lice

• Red, itchy, gooey eyes or eyelids stuck together in the morning

Communicable Diseases

The school has a responsibility to establish policies and procedures that will aid in the prevention and control of Communicable Diseases. Please keep children home when illness prevents the child from comfortable participation in classroom expectations and school activities. Consider the means in which the illness is communicable. Parents will be contacted and children dismissed from school when students show signs and symptoms of illness, including but not limited to fever, cough, and sneezing, lethargy, irritability, rash, vomiting and /or diarrhea.

Students who have the appearance of a known communicable disease will be excluded from school until 2 weeks after the appearance of the last symptom. All students need to adhere to the State of NH DHHS immunization requirements. Requirements change from year to year so please check with your student’s primary physician prior to the start of each school year.

Students will be excluded from attending school for the following diseases:

Measles                                       Infectious Conjunctivitis (Pink eye)

Mumps                                        Impetigo Rubella (German Measles)

Infectious Hepatitis            Chicken Pox

Diphtheria                                   Strep Throat and or Scarlet Fever

Whooping Cough                       Polio

Head and or Body Lice               Salmonellosis and Shigellosis

Ringworm                                 Scabies

New Hampshire State law requires all children to be immunized. This would also include all home schooled students wishing to participate in any school activities. Students who cannot demonstrate proof of immunization may not attend school. Parents/guardians may appeal to the school board for a religious exemption from immunization requirements.

All students returning to school after exclusion must report to the Health Office prior to reporting to class.  (Non-compliance will result in exclusion from school.)

Excuse from Physical Education for Medical Reasons

Students with long-term medical conditions requiring an excuse from participating in Physical Education classes must submit a physician’s note at the time the medical condition is diagnosed. Additional information may be requested from the physician, in order to respond to the student’s needs in an appropriate manner.