C
hildren must learn to be healthy & be healthy to learn! The Prospect Hill Academy Health Office believes in this mantra and is dedicated to working with families to ensure that all children at school are sufficiently healthy to effectively participate in the school day and learn.
Prospect Hill Academy is proud to have three devoted school nurses, one at each of its campuses. The role of the nurses is to promote optimal wellness for students by:
- Bridging education and health to remove any health related barriers to learning.
- Referring student and families to primary care providers and appropriate community health agencies.
- Providing acute, episodic and emergency care.
- Providing health education and counseling to prevent disease and promote healthy lifestyle.
- Conducting mandated vision, hearing and postural screenings, and providing follow-up and referral.
- Managing care of children with special health care needs.
- Managing and administering medications as per school policy.
- Maintaining confidential, computerized health records for all students.
- Conducting data collection and preparing for Department of Public Health Reports.
- Counseling the Prospect Hill Academy community with regard to health related issues.
- Providing programs and classroom presentations on health and developmental matters.
- Ensuring compliance with state mandated immunization policies for entry into school.
- Participating in Crisis Management planning.
- Maintaining school wellness policies.
- Participating in School Health Advisory Committee matters.
PHA Sick Child Policy
Children MUST remain home if:
- They do not have all of the immunizations required by the Massachusetts Deptartment of Public Health.
- They have a contagious illness such as flu, strep throat, or a fever over 100° within the past 24 hours. They may return to school AFTER antibiotic treatment for 24 hours.
- In the unlikely event that a child develops Chicken Pox (Varicella) that child may not return to school until the rash is completely dry and crusted over.
- They suffer vomiting &/or diarrhea. They may return to school if it has been 10-12 hours since last incident.
- They have Red or pink itchy eyes with a crusty yellow/green drainage. They may return to school when no drainage, or on medication for 24 hrs.
- They have head lice or nits (eggs). They may return when all nits have been removed and child has been checked by school nurse upon return to school.
- They have a rash of unknown cause. They may return to school when a doctor authorizes.
Please note: Short term antibiotics must be administered at home. They will not be given in school.
Medication & Emergencies
Emergency medication, such as Epi-Pens and Rescue Inhalers must be brought to the School Health Office on the first day of school each year and will remain in the school health office for the academic year. Please check the expiration date to insure that the medication is current and leave the pharmacy label intact.
All medication which must be given at school requires written parent and doctor permission.
Download Parent Permission Form and Doctor Permission Form.
Non-Emergency medication should be scheduled to be administered at home when possible.
No child may carry medication to and from school. Medication must be brought to the School Health office by an adult.
Parents/guardians are asked to notify the school nurse immediately if their child has a contagious disease, so appropriate measures can be implemented.
If a child becomes ill at school and the nurse deems that dismissal is warranted, the nurse will call a parent/guardian first. If unable to reach a parent/guardian, then the listed emergency contact will be called to make arrangements for dismissal. Students should not call parents/guardians directly asking to be dismissed due to illness. If a parent/guardian or emergency contact cannot be reached, and the situation is determined to be urgent, an ambulance will be called to take the child to the nearest emergency room. The parent will be notified as soon as possible.
State Mandates
Health screenings and immunizations required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for children to attend school include:
Physical Examinations
Physical exams are required upon entrance to grades K, 4, 7 & 10.
Physical Exams are also required for all new entrants to PHA regardless of grade. The physical exam must have been performed within 12 months of the time it is required.
Kindergarten
| TDaP/DT/DT&P |
5 doses (unless 4th dose was given after 4th birthday, then only 4 doses) |
| Polio |
4 doses (unless 3rd dose was given after 4th birthday, then only 3 doses) |
| Hepatitis B |
3 doses |
| MMR |
2 doses |
| Varicella |
1 dose |
| Vision Screening |
|
| TB Screening |
|
| Lead Screening |
|
Grade 7
| Tdap Booster |
1 dose |
| Varicella |
under age 13, 1 dose over age 13, 2 doses |
Annual In-School Screenings
| Vision & Hearing |
K-12 |
| Postural Screening |
Grades 5-9 |
| Height & Weight |
K-12 |
Parents/guardians are advised to always keep the original copy of their child’s annual physical exam report and immunization record at home to provide whenever it is required. School Health Office will not provide copies even for PHA Athletics.