Health Information

The following information is intended to assist you throughout the school year with medical issues that might arise as well as a few items that need to be addressed before your child attends school.

Emergency Contacts

You will be given instructions that will allow you to enter emergency contact information for your child, via the Power School Parent portal. Please include all pertinent phone numbers for yourself, your spouse or significant other, as well as email addresses that you access regularly. In addition you will be asked to enter information for people who you designate as being able to pick up your children in your absence. It is important to choose those that live in the general area and are available during the school day. Please make sure you have informed them that they have been listed as emergency contacts for your child. If you have a regular daycare provider, it would be important to include their contact information as well.

Immunization Records

In accordance with the laws of the state of Massachusetts, No child will be admitted to school without proof of full immunization. You must have this information available before the first day of school. Your child's healthcare provider can inform you of what immunizations are needed for school attendance, will help you arrange a "nurse visit" that will be within the guidelines of your health insurance regulations and will bring your child's record up to date before school starts.  State laws require us to exclude children from school without proper documentation of full immunization. Exceptions to this are medical exemptions certified by a physician or a statement of sincere religious objection by the parent.

Physical Exam Record

Each child entering Shrewsbury Public Schools must have a record of a current physical examination. This should be dated within one year prior to entrance to school or within 30 days after school entry and at intervals of three or four years thereafter. In Shrewsbury, we recommend that each time your child goes for a physical exam, you submit a copy to ensure that the school health record remains current.

Medication Policy

The Town of Shrewsbury has a very firm policy that prohibits all students from carrying any medication other than emergency medications (epinepherine injectors or inhalers) on the school bus. If your child requires a daily medication that must be given during school hours, an adult must provide us with that medication in person, along with completed paperwork from your health-care provider. All prescription medications must be in pharmacy-labeled containers. No loose pills in baggies, please!!

Absence Due to Illness

This is always a difficult decision right before the school day starts. If your child had a fever of 100 or higher or diarrhea and/or vomiting the night before, the child should stay home to allow them to recover. Keep in mind that you know what is best for your child and this decision should be yours, not theirs. A child who has a fever of 100 or higher, has vomited or has diarrhea at school, will be dismissed. We ask that the child remain at home until they are fever free for 24 hours without the benefit of Tylenol or Motrin. In the case of diarrhea and/or vomiting, we ask that they remain home until they are eating a regular diet and their bowels have returned to normal. Children with contagious conditions, such as strep throat or conjunctivitis (pink eye) must be on antibiotics for a full 24 hours before returning to school. These recommendations are intended to keep school wide illness to a minimum and particularly to protect our medically fragile children.

Concussions

Please inform your school nurse as soon as possible if your child has been diagnosed with a concussion. The nurse will help to inform teachers and administrators regarding the injury and will work with you and your child to provide a successful return to school.

Hospitalizations

If your child requires an overnight stay in the hospital for any reason, please contact your school nurse to inform her of the hospitalization and the expected needs on return to school.

Screenings

In school health screenings are mandated by Massachusetts state law (M.G.L. c.71, s.57 and 105 CMR 200.000) and are conducted according to the following schedule:

Vision screenings screening: each year for students in grades pre K, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 10

Hearing screening: each year for students in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 10

Heights and weights are measured and BMI is calculated for students in grades 1, 4, 7, and 10. Aggregate data reported to the state as mandated. Individual student data is not reported but is recorded in the confidential student health record.

Postural screenings: each year for all students in grades 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9

Per MA 105 CMR 200.000, the purpose of mandated screenings is to “identify and take appropriate actions with respect to disabilities and medical conditions of school children in public schools as soon as possible so as to enable all children to obtain the fullest benefit of their educational opportunities …” Screenings are a tool used for referral for further care and should not be considered diagnostic. Letters will be mailed home if follow-up for vision, hearing, or postural screening is recommended. BMI data is available by parent request to the nurse.

Hearing and vision screenings are conducted in the health office by school nurses and trained personnel.

Postural screenings, height, weight and BMI screenings are done by the Physical Education teachers, usually during the first 2 weeks of PE class. If the PE teacher has concerns about a particular student, the student will be rescreened by the school nurse. 

Please note that these are only screenings and are not meant to replace an examination by your healthcare provider. Please feel free to call your school nurse at any time with concerns or to provide an update about a change in your child's health. 

In order for a student to be excused from any screening(s), the parent/guardian must make a request in writing to the school nurse annually. For postural screening exclusion requests, documentation of screening within the past year by a medical professional must also be provided.