Nurse's Nook
Welcome Wilson Family!
Ms. Shawna Lawrence BSN, RN
Shawna.Lawrence@sayrevillek12.net
732-525-5237
Quick Notes:
Attendance: Please call your student out to the sick line each day your child will be absent at
732-525-5237.
The sick line is available 24/7 for your convenience.
Change of Clothes: All students should have a change of clothes in their bookbag/locker incase of a spill/accident or ripped clothing.
Recess- All students will be outside for recess weather permitting. Please make sure your student has the appropriate attire including hat, gloves and winter coats.
Physicals- Regular well-child exams are an important part of keeping students healthy. Checkups also are a chance for you and the doctor to talk about developmental and safety issues, and for you to get answers to any questions about your students overall health.
Please provide the health office with a copy of your students physical each year.
2023-2024 Conferences
Please use the link below to sign up for the 2023-2024 School Year Conferences:
https://freebusy.io/sayrevillek12-2024-parent-teacher-conferences-shawna-lawrence-rn
Attendance
Please call your student out to the sick line at 732-525-5237.
The sick line is available 24/7 for your convenience.
Any absence from school requires notification to the school nurse’s office. Some reasons for an absence may be illness, doctor’s appointment, religious holiday or vacation. Notification can be made either by phone or email.
If the absence is for a planned extended period of time, such as a vacation, please provide the dates the student will be absent and the expected date of return.
Vacation: Please inform the school in writing of the dates of vacation with a return date.
Sayreville has an automated phone system that will call to notify you of your child’s absence. If you have already called to report the absence or sent in a note, an additional call is not necessary.
Please provide the school nurse with all doctors notes via email or in your students backpack.
When should you keep your student home?
FEVER – if your student has had a fever greater than 100.4° F within the last 24 hours they should stay home. Once your student has been fever free without the use of medication (Tylenol/Acetaminophen, Advil/Ibuprofen, etc.) for 24 hours they may return to school.
VOMITING/DIARRHEA – until your student is free of any vomiting and/or diarrhea for 24 hours, they should not return to school.
FLU/COLD – if you suspect your student may have the flu, a diagnosis by a doctor is necessary in order to obtain the appropriate prescription medication.
SORE THROAT/PERSISTENT COUGH – a sore throat, accompanied by a fever, can be an indication of infection and therefore your student should stay home and be seen by a medical professional.
Strep throat does not always include the symptom of a fever, however it may have symptoms such as pain when swallowing, swollen glands, red spots on the roof of the mouth, headache, stomach pain, nausea/vomiting and possible rash.
A persistent cough can be disruptive to your student during the school day, making learning difficult. It can also represent the start of an infection or illness and the student should be seen by a medical professional.
Please note, cough drops are not allowed in school due to choking hazard.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE – if your student is diagnosed with any contagious disease, i.e. strep throat, influenza or conjunctivitis (pink eye), they should stay home from school until a medical provider states they may return to school.
RASH – any rash of unknown origin, that may or may not be accompanied by a fever, should be seen by a medical provider.
A student diagnosed with scabies must have one treatment before returning to school.
GENERAL – if your student is “just not feeling well”, i.e. very tired (lethargic), loss of appetite, irritable, pale or presents any change from their normal behavior, a day of rest at home should be considered.
NOTE: If your doctor indicates that your student should stay home for a specific number of days due to illness, please keep your child home.
If your student is kept home for illness, they must be without a fever (under 100.4° F without the aid of medication, i.e. Tylenol, Advil, or any fever reducing medication), vomiting and/or diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school.
Health and Medical Concerns
Please be sure that if your student has any health concerns such as asthma, allergies (food, medication, environmental, or any other allergy), seizure disorder, or any other health issue that you check with the health office to be certain it is noted in the student health file.
If your student has Asthma and/or a Food Allergy, this should be reported to the nurse’s office. Either can result in a life threatening event and medications may be needed at school.
If your student has been diagnosed with asthma and uses an inhaler or nebulizer, an Asthma Action Plan should be completed by you and your doctor and returned to the nurse’s office with the appropriate medication.
The office has a nebulizer machine so you only need to provide the medication along with the mask and tubing required.
If your student has a food allergy (there are more than just nuts) it is imperative that the nurse’s office be aware. Steps need to be taken to be certain that the necessary departments are notified of any food allergies. If the allergy requires the precaution of an Epi Pen, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan needs to be completed by you and your doctor and returned to the nurse’s office with the appropriate medication.
If your student has a peanut allergy and your student does not have to sit at the Peanut Free Table, a note from a physician must be submitted each school year.
If your student has been diagnosed with seizures and uses medication that is needed during school or for emergency use a Seizure Action Plan should be completed by you and your doctor and returned to the nurse's office with the appropriate medication.
All medication submitted to the nurse’s office must be done so in accordance with the instructions provided on the “Medication Requirements” section.
Gym/Recess: Should your student incur an injury that prevents them from participating in gym, please be aware that the only note that will excuse him/her from physical education must come from a physician. The note must also indicate when the student may resume normal activity.
A note from home will not suffice when a restriction of activities is requested.
If your student is unable to participate in physical education, it is understood that they are also unable to participate in recess. If the exclusion note coincides with field day or any other school related physical activity, your student will also be unable to participate.
Medication Requirements
The state of New Jersey has very strict guidelines for the administration of medication during the school day.
Any medication given by the school nurse during school hours (including over the counter medications such as Tylenol, Advil or Cough Drops, etc.) has the following requirements:
● Medication must be sent in the original properly labeled container as received from the pharmacy and prescriptions are valid until the expiration date.
● Written authorization from parent (this is on the same form that the physician will complete) must be received prior to the administration of any medication.
Medication Administration Form
● Written order from physician (this is the same form that the parent will complete above) which must be signed, dated and physician stamp applied. Please note medication orders are only effective for one school year; a new order is required at the start of each school year.
● Medication must be delivered to the nurse’s office by a parent/guardian.
No student should be delivering medication for safety reasons.
At the end of the school year, a parent/guardian will also need to pick up the child’s medication.
Any medication left at the school after the last day will be thrown away.
Kindergarten/New Student Registration
When registering/enrolling your student in school for the first time or when transferring from one school to another, there are several requirements that must be met for the Health Office in order for your student to attend school.
These requirements are as follows:
1. Physician’s certificate indicating that the student has received the following immunizations as required by the state of New Jersey Department of Health:
a. Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus (DTaP) – a minimum of four (4) doses, one dose having been given on or after the fourth birthday or a total of five doses;
b. Polio – a minimum of three (3) doses of Polio vaccine, one dose having been given on or after the fourth birthday or a total of four doses;
c. Measles – two (2) doses given at least one month apart, both doses being given after the first birthday or laboratory evidence of immunity in place of the 2nd dose.
d. Rubella – one (1) dose on or after the first birthday
e. Mumps – one (1) dose on or after the first birthday
f. Hepatitis B – three (3) doses of the Hep B vaccine or laboratory evidence of immunity
g. Chickenpox – one (1) dose on or after the first birthday or proof of disease immunity
2. Certificate indicating that your student has had a complete physical examination by his personal physician including a vision and hearing screening, within a year of September entrance (e.g. the twelve months preceding start of school).
3. Physician’s certificate indicating that the child has received a Mantoux test or Quantiferon Gold Blood test for Tuberculosis prior to the start of the school year if the county of birth is listed on the attached page.
Tuberculosis Testing in NJ Schools
The above requirements are pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:40-4 and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-2.2