Health Services & Medical Forms
	GREENS FARMS ACADEMY HEALTH OFFICE KATHLEEN RABY, RN, BSN, MS KARYL MCGILL, HEALTH ASSISTANT (203) 256-7535 FAX (203) 256-7504 kraby@gfacademy.org Here you will find health related information for your children enrolled at Greens Farms Academy. We are located off the main lobby of the school. Feel free to contact our office anytime with questions or concerns. HEALTH ASSESSMENTS AND PROCEDURES Health Assessments are required for: All NEW students within 12 months prior to entry All students entering Kindergarten within 12 months prior to entry All current students in grades 1 - 5 every two years All current students in grades 6 - 12 every 13 months The health assessment must be performed by a legally qualified MD, APRN, or PA who works with an MD,  and documented on the GFA Health Assessment Record or the State of Connecticut Department of Education (HAR-3) Health Assessment Record. The required forms are available from the school nurse or can be downloaded by clicking here (Health Assessment) Please provide the school nurse with the original Health Assessment form and keep a copy of the Health Assessment form for your records. NEW IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health has announced NEW IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE effective August 2011. Your child must show PROOF OF COMPLIANCE with these requirements in order to attend Greens Farms Academy. The Greens Farms Academy Health Office will review the school immunization records of ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED at GFA. Please confirm with your child's pediatrician that he/she is compliant with the new requirements. The earlier you submit the GFA Health Assessment or the State of Connecticut Health Assessment (HAR-3) "Blue" Form, the faster the Health Office can check your child's immunization record for compliance. Click here to download the immunization requirements (Immunization Requirements). Please contact your child's health care provider if you have questions about these immunizations. Health Assessments and Immunization Exemptions: Exemption from the state-mandated health assessment and immunization requirements on religious or medical grounds must be requested in writing on the appropriate State of Connecticut medical or religious exemption forms. Click here to download (Medical  and Religious ) Administration of Medication During the School Day: No prescription or over-the-counter medication will be administered to a student unless the written order of an authorized prescriber (other than a parent/guardian) and the signed authorization of a parent or guardian are documented on Greens Farms Academy's medication form and are on file in the Health Office. Medication must be delivered to the school nurse in the original pharmacy container by a responsible adult. Students may not carry or transport medication or keep it in lockers or desks. However, Middle and Upper School students who have a chronic health condition requiring rapid administration of a medication may carry and self administrate medication(e.g., albuterol, epinephrine, insulin) and must have a plan for self-administration if authorized in writing by the (1) prescriber, (2) parent or guardian, and (3) school nurse. Students who have a self-administration plan must transport the medication to and from school each day, maintain it on or in the immediate vicinity of their person at all times, and use it appropriately according to instructions. Self administration of a controlled drug is never permitted. Forms for medication administration can be downloaded here (Medication Authorization). Administration of Medication for Overnight Trips: If your child is going on an overnight trip and must take a prescription or over-the-counter medication, Connecticut State law requires students and the school to be compliant with the following procedures: For each medication you must obtain the written order of an authorized prescriber (MD, DDS, APRN, or PA) using Greens Farms Academy’s form, Student Medication Authorization Form for Overnight Trips which can be downloaded here (Medication Authorization for Overnight Trips) Sign the "Parent/Guardian Authorization" portion of the form. Be sure the medication is in the ORIGINAL PHARMACY CONTAINER, clearly labeled with the student's name, the authorized prescriber's name and the prescription. TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE TRIP: Bring the medication and the completed authorization form(s) to Kathleen Raby, RN. Medication and forms must be brought in by a responsible adult; do not send any medication to school with a student. Prior to the start of the school year, please contact our office before dropping off the medication and forms. The ONLY medications that may be carried by Middle and Upper school students are EpiPens and inhalers. These medications may only be carried with the written authorization from the physician, parent and school nurse; please note that all 3 signatures are required. Also, the student must meet with the school nurse two weeks prior the trip to demonstrate his/her appropriate knowledge and skills for self-medication. These procedures are mandated by CT law, and students and the school must be in compliance. Communicable Disease and Illness/Injury Management: Please notify the school nurse if your child is diagnosed with a communicable disease. The school nurse will ask parents/guardians to pick up a student who has symptoms of illness or an injury that, in the professional judgment of the school nurse, needs to be observed at home or assessed by a medical doctor. In an emergency, 9-1-1 will be called for immediate transportation to the hospital. To safeguard the health of all students, we ask parents/guardians to monitor their children for possible communicable diseases and follow GFA policy on attendance accordingly. Students must stay home from school if they: Have a fever of 100° or more Have vomited in the past 24 hours Have diarrhea more than once in the past 24 hours Have copious yellow/green mucus discharge from nose Complain of severe earache, with or without fever Have a severe sore throat with symptoms indicating possible strep throat Have conjunctivitis (pink eye) with discharge Have a skin wound, sore or lesion that appears infected, e.g., is red, swollen or draining fluid Have an undiagnosed rash Students must remain home: For 24 hours after an elevated temperature returns to normal without the use of anti-inflammatory medication For 24 hours after vomiting has ended After a throat culture--until the results are available (regardless of physician advice) For 24 hours after their first dose of medication with a diagnosis of strep throat to prevent the spread to other students For 24 hours following treatment for bacterial conjunctivitis or conjunctivitis with discharge Until they are adequately treated for head lice, scabies or other infestation, communicable illness or skin infection, or have been assessed by a physician and determined to be non-communicable. A physician's note may be required to return to school Procedures for Students Leaving School Due to Illness: Should your child become ill during school hours, he or she must be dismissed by the Health Office. Students may not get permission from their parent/guardian via their cell phone prior to seeing the nurse. The school nurse or the health assistant must speak to the parent/guardian in order for the student to leave school. Please make sure your child(ren) understands this policy. Communicating with the School Nurse: Please alert the school nurse if your child has a health condition that may require individualized planning for emergency care, or changes in your child’s health status, including illness, injury, hospitalization or a change in treatment or medication. A doctor's note is required to excuse a student from gym for more than three days. Documentation of Chronic Illness: Parents may be required to provide medical documentation for a student’s long-term or frequent absences. Physician documentation should include the nature of the illness, any limitations on the student, inclusive dates of the medical condition and specific dates of absence covered. Students and parents are advised to monitor the number of absences, which have accumulated due to medical reasons keeping in mind the 20% rule in the Upper School as described in the Source. Prevention and Management of Head Lice Infestation Among Students: Current public health standards and research-based recommendations indicate that routine screening and management at home are the key factors in the effective control of head lice. Therefore, our emphasis is on prevention through parental education, collaboration and communication. Mass screenings for head lice are no longer conducted routinely in our schools. Not only are they ineffective as a method of control, but also they result in loss of instructional time, misdiagnosed cases, and stigma for children who are sent home in the middle of the day. Head lice do not cause disease and, when first identified on a head, have usually been resident there for a few weeks. They are very annoying and are sometimes difficult to get rid of, but they are not dangerous. Head lice are usually best controlled when managed through a combination of mechanical and chemical means, along with housekeeping techniques currently recommended by public health experts.   Please remember that rapid communication is the most critical element to prevent the spread of head lice at school, at sleepovers, and at other community activities.  Therefore, should your child become infested with head lice, please inform the school nurse immediately so that she can alert families in your child's class to increase their vigilance and screenings at home.  The information you provide is confidential and the names of affected students are never shared with other families.  If all families communicate with the school nurse in this way, and if the school nurse in turn alerts families in general to be more vigilant, we can prevent unnecessary spread of this difficult pest.   More information may be downloaded from the following link, Head Lice. GFA is a Peanut/Nut Aware School: In order to make our school a safe environment for all students, staff and visitors, Greens Farms Academy asks all students, parents and staff (teaching, administrative, custodial) to make every effort not to bring into the school any product that contains peanuts and/or nuts. This includes peanuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds and all other tree nuts. Please read all food labels carefully. Accidents happen when foods labeled "may contain" or "traces of" are brought to school. GFA has a number of students with food allergies, and some students, when exposed to certain foods, can develop a reaction known as anaphylaxis. It is also important to note that there may be students with undiagnosed food allergies who experience their first allergic reaction at school. Our goal is to prevent life-threatening allergic reactions, and awareness is the key. In order to safeguard all students, peanuts, nuts and nut products should not be brought on campus to any sporting events, clubs and after school activities, bake sales, or events where students will be present. We appreciate your help to make the school safe for every student. Students with Food and/or Insect Allergies: If your child has a food and/or insect allergy, please inform the school nurse. The school nurse, in conjunction with the child's physician, will develop an individualized emergency care plan for your child. Forms for emergency medication administration may be obtained from the Health Office and can be downloaded here (GFA Food Allergy Management Plan or GFA Insect Allergy Management Plan), and must be signed by both the parent and the prescribing physician. Emergency medications will be kept in the Health Office. The school nurse will inform and train appropriate school personnel in the administration of an EpiPen or other emergency medications at the beginning of the school year, and before field trips. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact the school nurse at the Health Office (203) 256-7535.