NOTES FROM THE NURSE
Wanamassa Elementary School Health Guidelines
The children will have their hearing, vision, and blood pressure
screenings completed during the school year. Per school policy, first
and third graders will have both hearing and vision screenings, and
second and fourth graders will have only hearing screenings. If the
need for further evaluation by your private physician is determined, a
letter will be sent home directly to you.
When returning to school, here are a few reminders to help keep both you and your children healthy.
1. Remind children to wash and dry hands frequently! Hand-
sanitizer is a great item to keep in the car or in book-bags, should you
need to wash and not be near a restroom. Please remember to pack travel
sized tissues and Chapstick in your child’s book-bag so if needed they
are readily available.
2. Encourage your children to get enough rest. Limit sleepovers
and extra-curricular activities. When children (and adults) are run
down, this increases the susceptibility to illness!
3. Try to provide extra fluids for snack and lunch times.
Gatorade, water, and 100% fruit juices are healthy choices. Hydration
can lessen the severity of colds, or flu that we are exposed to!
If your child does become ill with a fever, cough, rash, pink eye, strep
throat, stomach bug or just not him/herself, please remember to keep
them home from school. This can prevent the transmission of colds,
viruses, the flu and bacterial infections. They can return when symptom
free for a complete 24 hours and without fever medication given. Please
report absences to the main office at 732- 531-5700 ext. 4000, or to my
office at 732-531-5700 ext. 4010. You do not need to call both offices.
If a communicable illness is suspected, your child will be sent home
from school in accordance with school policy. By keeping your ill child
home from school, it can help to prevent others from getting sick and
also shorten the illness of your child. Have on hand Tylenol, Advil or
Motrin as well as soups, ice-pops and Jello.
4. Unfortunately, lice are a common back to school occurrence.
It is usually contracted over the summer at camps, sleep-overs and close
proximity to other children when items such as hats, combs, head-sets
and towels are shared. When students return to school, they complain of
an itchy head to their teacher and are sent to the nurse where it’s
assessed to be present or not. A letter will be sent home regarding
this issue as needed throughout the school year, if it occurs in your
child’s classroom.
5. If your child has any serious injury, surgery or is
hospitalized, a note from your child’s physician/ER is required to
return to school. The note should indicate if there are any
limitations, exclusion from physical education, use of crutches or
elevator requirement, and when your child is allowed to participate in
all school activities.
6. Per NJ State Law and Ocean Township School District Policy,
documentation of all immunizations is required at the time of your
child’s registration. All new students are also required to have an
entry physical exam by their physician or nurse practitioner dated no
more than 365 days prior to entry. Your child does get a 30 day grace
period from their entry date, to provide this information to the school
nurse. After the 30 days, your child will be excluded from school.
Physical forms and a list of Community Health Centers are on the
Wanamassa Elementary School Nurse website if needed.
Lastly, have a safe and healthy school year. If I can be of any
assistance, please do not hesitate to call me at 732-531-5700 ext. 4010.
Jennifer A. Gironda, BSN, RN, NJ-CSN