School Nurse
Health Services
732-291-2020, ext. 1106
[email protected]
*Stay home when you are sick. Stay home if you have a fever above 100 degrees, you are vomiting or have signs and symptoms of a respiratory illness. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
*Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
*Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
*Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue to cover coughs and sneezes, then dispose of the tissue. When a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow. *
*Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill.
*Wash hands for 20 seconds. Washing hands often with soap under clean, running water can help prevent the spread of germs. If you cannot wash your hands, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60-95% alcohol.
Food Allergies
Food allergies are a growing concern in schools across America. Since a number of student's in our school have serious allergies to peanuts/tree nuts, AHES is now an allergy aware school. Please note that the Pre-school classrooms are NUT FREE. Please refer to the snack safely guide above for a list of allergy safe snacks that your child can bring to school for classroom snack time.
Absences
Student absences of more than 3 days will require a doctor's note. Parents must notify the school each day the student is absent no later than 8:30 am. You may enter the absence on the attendance tab in the Parent Portal, email the school at :[email protected] or call 732-291-2020 x1101.
Flu vaccinations
The NJ Dept of Health and Senior Services has increased their requirements of immunizations for children in PRESCHOOL. All students entering any preschool facility from 6 months through 59 months of age shall annually receive at least one dose of influenza vaccine between September 1 and December 31 of each year. Every child from 12 through 59 months of age shall receive at least 1 dose of PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine) on or after their first birthday.
6th Grade immunizations
Chapter 14, N.J.A.C. 8:57-4.1 to 8:57-4.17 requires all students entering 6th grade to receive 1 dose of Tdap vaccine given no earlier than their 10th birthday. Every student entering 6th grade shall also receive 1 dose of Meningococcal Vaccine. Student's must provide written documentation of these vaccinations to the nurse before the start of school. Student's will be given a 5 day grace period once 6th grade begins to complete these requirements.
Immunizations
The NJ State minimum requirements for school aged children is attached below. All students are required to be vaccinated with the minimum requirements prior to and during school. Please hand in documentation to the nurse's office once your child receives any vaccinations so that I may update their medical record. If you are claiming a religious or medical exemption, please hand in a hard copy to the nurse's office. If you need assistance in receiving these vaccinations, please do not hesitate to contact the school nurse at 732-291-2020 ext. 1106.
Physicals
District policy requires a physical examination by a licensed physician upon entry into the school district, regardless of the grade the child is entering. Your child’s physical exam should be done by your child’s primary care physician. It is important that your child have medical exams at least one time during each developmental stage. These stages are early childhood (preschool through grade 3), preadolescence (grades 4 through 6), and adolescence (grades seven through twelve). These exams are recommended to help assure proper growth and development, proper immunization status, assure general health and well being, and will enable your child’s physician to pick up any deviations from the norm. These exams are the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
Athletic Physicals
All student's, in 6th grade, who are interested in participating in the AHES after school intramural program must submit a completed athletic physical by their primary care physician prior to participation. If your child has completed a physical for Henry Hudson, please keep a copy as I can use the same one. Please be advised that Henry Hudson's Athletic Physical is more extensive than AHES.
Screenings
Pursuant to Administrative Code Chapter 16 Programs to Support Student Services Section 6A:16-2.2
Height, weight, and blood pressure screenings will be conducted by the school nurse every year for Pre-K through 6th grade.
Vision screenings shall be conducted biannually for K, 2nd, 4th, and 6th grade students.
Auditory screenings shall be conducted annually for students in grades K through 3rd grade pursuant to NJSA 18A:40-4
New Jersey Statutes 18A:40-4.3 Biennial Scoliosis screening will be provided for all pupils aged 10 or over, starting in 5th grade. This examination will be done by the school nurse. A letter will be sent out with the date prior to screening. If you choose to opt out of the scoliosis screening for your child, please send in a written note to the nurse. A referral will be sent by mail for those students who need to be further evaluated by their private physician.
Upon request, we will be happy to screen the vision and hearing of any student regardless of grade level. A parent/guardian may request to have their child tested by contacting the Health Office either by telephone or by letter or email.
Medication
Medication Policy and forms for parent/guardian are listed below or can be requested from the nurse's office. Please note that all medications even over-the-counter are required to have a PARENT PERMISSION as well as a DOCTOR'S ORDER. Students are not permitted to carry any medication, vitamins or enzymes. All medication will be kept in the Nurse's Office. All medications should be transported to and from school via parent or guardian, not in child's backpack. All prescription medication must be in the original pharmacy labeled container. Cough drops require a permission note from the parent along with a small baggie of student's own cough drops to be kept in the nurse's office.
Physical Education and Outdoor Recess
A doctor's note is required to be excused from gym. No gym equals no recess also. If your child has a cast, splint, ace bandage or crutches, a doctor's note is required to both excuse and then clear them to return. Students will remain in the nurse's office for safety reasons. Please make sure your child is appropriately dressed for the weather (jackets, hats and gloves) with appropriate footwear.
General Health Guidelines
Our objective at Atlantic Highlands Elementary School is to promote a healthy environment for all of our students to learn in. While it is our goal to have students present in school as much as possible, there are some general procedures for you to be aware of that would necessitate you keeping your child home from school.
Generally, these are:
- A child with a temperature greater than 100.0 should be fever free for 24 hours WITHOUT any fever reducing medications before he/she can return to school.
- A child who is vomiting or has loose bowel movements should be symptom free for 24 hours before they can return to school.
- A child with communicable disease must remain home until cleaned by a physician in writing before returning to school. (Examples of communicable diseases: strep throat, chickenpox, herpes simplex, hepatitis A, impetigo, skin infections, conjunctivitis, etc.) When a child is diagnosed with a communicable disease, please notify the health office.
- A child with head lice may return to school after the treatment is done and all nits are removed. Student must be checked by the nurse to be cleared to return. A second treatment must be repeated in 7-10 days.
- A child with a rash of unknown cause should remain home until cleared to return to school by his/her physician.
- A child with upper respiratory infection (symptoms: thick, purulent nasal discharge, elevated temperature, excessive cough) should stay remain home until symptoms are improved for at least 24 hours, or cleared to return by his/her physician.
General Forms
Food Allergies
Asthma