The Board of Education recognizes that good student health is vital to successful learning and realizes its responsibility, along with that of the parents, to protect and foster a safe and healthful environment for the students.

The school shall work closely with students' families to provide detection and preventive health services. In accordance with law, the school will provide vision, hearing, and scoliosis screening. Problems shall be referred to the parents who shall be encouraged to have their family physician provide appropriate care.

Schools shall also provide emergency care or first aid for students in accidental or unexpected medical situations.

A permanent student health record shall be part of a student's cumulative school record and should follow the student from grade to grade and school to school along with his/her academic record. This record folder shall be maintained by the school nurse.

Communicable Diseases

It is the responsibility of the Board to provide all students with a safe and healthy school environment. To meet this responsibility, it is sometimes necessary to exclude students with contagious and infectious diseases from attendance in school. Students will be excluded during periods of contagion until there is a note from the health care provider or upon advisement of the Health Department.

It is the responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools, working through district health personnel, to enforce this policy and to contact the New York State Department of Health and the County Board of Health immediately upon notification of an outbreak, even if one student, of a communicable disease. The school nurse is responsible for reporting communicable diseases to the Health Department.

Physical Examination of Students

At the beginning of each school year, parents shall be notified that each new entrant is required by state law to have a health examination, and that a report of the examination must be submitted to the school by the examining physician. Health examinations are also required of students in grades K-1-3-7-10.

As further required by state law, all students will have eye tests within six months of admission to school. In addition, vision and hearing tests shall be given to each student at least once during each school year, and every student between the ages of 11 and 16 shall be examined annually for scoliosis.

All participants in the athletic program shall be required to have a physical examination by the school doctor prior to participation in either practice or games.

Immunization of Students

Under law, all students entering or attending the school district are to present a written record of immunization against measles, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, rubella, mumps and hepatitus B.

Evidence of immunization against the above mentioned communicable diseases shall be a health provider(s statement certifying that immunization has been completed or a record from the Health Department.

In the case of a transfer student from another school or district, the cumulative health record shall be acceptable as proof of immunization.

Public Health Law, Section 613, requires the Commissioner of Health to do an annual survey to determine the immunizations of all children entering school for the first time and conduct annually, an audit of such survey. The nurse shall audit the immunization status of all students.

Exemptions

A student shall be exempted from the above requirements upon:

1. Presentation of a physician's statement indicating that immunization is inadvisable for reasons of health. This exemption must specify the vaccine and the length of the exemption.
2. Presentation of a written statement from the parent or guardian indicating that the parent or guardian hold genuine and sincere religious beliefs which are contrary to the immunization requirements provided by law.
   
   If the school district is notified of an outbreak of a certain infectious disease (i.e. diphtheria, polio, measles, rubella, mumps), state regulations authorize the Commissioner of Health to "...order the appropriate school officials to exclude from attendance all students without documentation of immunity, including those who have been excused from immunization..."

The Board believes that immunization is the primary responsibility of the parent(s). For those students who do not have ready access to private or public health services, the responsibility then belongs to the Health Department.

A student who has not received one or more of the required immunizations shall be given a (grace period( of 14 days if there is a good effort to obtain the immunizations. A (grace period( of 30 days is allowed for students transferring from another state or country.

Administration of Medicines to Students

The Board shall not be responsible for the diagnosis or treatment of student illness. The administration of prescribed medication to a student during school hours shall be permitted only when failure to take such medicine would jeopardize the health of the student, or the student would not be able to attend school if the medicine were not made available to him/her during school hours. "Medication" will include all medicines prescribed by a physician and over-the-counter medication.

Before any medication may be administered to or by any student during school hours, the Board requires:

1. the written request of the parent, which shall give permission for such administration and relieve the Board and its employees of liability for administration of medication; and
2. the written order of the prescribing physician, which will include the purpose of the medication, the dosage, the time at which or the special circumstances under which medication shall be administered, the period for which medication is prescribed, and the possible side effects of the medication.

Both documents shall be kept on file in the office of the school nurse.

The Superintendent shall develop procedures for the administration of medication, which require that:

1. all medications will be administered by the school nurse (the Superintendent or his/her designee) also, the parent may administer medication in the health office;
2. medications shall be securely stored in the office and kept in their original labeled container, which specifies the type of medication, the amount to be given and the times of administration;
3. the school nurse shall maintain a record of the name of the student to whom medication may be administered, the prescribing physician, the dosage and timing of medication, and a notation of each instance of administration; and
4. all medications shall be brought to school by the parent and shall be picked up by the parent at the end of the school year or the end of the period of medication, whichever is earlier. All medication not picked up within five days of the period of medication shall be discarded.
5. on field trips, with the consent of the parent and the individual teacher, oral medication may be given a student who is self-directed. Under such conditions, it is necessary for the nurse to give the teacher the student medication and related written instructions on file in the health office prior to the trip. If not self-directed:
   • the parent or guardian may attend the activity and administer the medication; or
   • the parent can personally request another adult who is not employed by the school to voluntarily administer the medication on the field trip and inform the school district in writing of such request; or
   • the student(s health care provider can be consulted and may order the medication time to be adjusted or the dose eliminated.

If no other alternative can be found, the medication must be administered by a licensed professional (i.e. school nurse, LPN, substitute school nurse, physician) employed by the district. A child may not be prevented from participating in an educational activity, such as a field trip, solely on the basis of a special health need.

No student is to have any other type of medication (aspirin, vitamin, diet pill, antihistamine, etc.), on his/her person in school under any circumstances. If situations arise where such medication may be needed, the Principal is to be consulted. Students who are observed with medication or taking medication are to be reported to the Principal immediately.

Cross-reference

Reference

Adoption date

November 12, 1992

Revised

Regulation

11 Boice Road
P. O. Box 2033
Hyde Park, NY 12538
(845) 229-4000
For Emergency Information (845) 229-4001
District Fax: 229-4056
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