Health Services
Nurse's Office
Morgan Flemming, RN
(315) 324-5931 Ext. 26129
Dear Parents and Students:
It is my sincere wish for all students at Hammond Central School to achieve and maintain their greatest level of health possible in order to facilitate and promote a healthy learning environment. Please feel free to call if you have any questions regarding your child’s health, and please remember to keep me updated with any health-related information pertaining to your student.
Health Examinations
All students entering the school district for the first time, and in grades Pre-K or K, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 will need a physical for school attendance.
- Students who plan to play a sport also need a recent physical. If they have had an injury since their last physical, they will need a new physical in order to play.
- The physical should be dated sometime in the previous 12 months from the start of the new school year.
- A copy of the physical should be submitted to the School Health Office by the first day of the new school year. You are encouraged to bring a copy of the school physical form to your doctor.
- If your student has an appointment for their physical during the school year, please notify the health office of the date and time of the appointment at the beginning of the school year.
- The doctor's office can fax a copy of your student's physical to the school at (315) 324-6057.
Vaccination Requirements
New York State requires all students to be fully immunized from certain diseases in order to safely attend public school.
Please click on your student's grade level to the right and see which immunizations your child will need for school attendance.
At your student's yearly check up with their pediatrician, ask their doctor about their immunization status to ensure they will be allowed to attend school.
Medications in the School Setting
If your student requires medication during the school day, please be aware of the protocol for medication administration at school.
All medications (prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) require a written request from a physician in order to be given during the school day. The parent must sign the order from the physician, indicating their consent for the school nurse to administer the medication to their child.
All medications must be delivered by a parent/guardian in their original pharmacy labeled container directly to the school nurse.
The health office does not "stock" any medications, OTC or otherwise.
All extra medication must be picked up by the parent/guardian at the end of the school year. Medication that is not picked up by an adult will be destroyed in accordance with NYSED law.
Students with asthma or an allergy who require emergency medication (such as an inhaler or epi-pen) may be allowed to carry their own medication. Please discuss this with your doctor and fill out the "Independent Carry and Use" form in the right hand column.
Concussion Resource Center
In light of the ongoing research and discoveries made in the field of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), Hammond Central School recognizes the importance of establishing a comprehensive plan for the evaluation and treatment of students who experience head injuries of any kind.
The school nurse and coaches of HCS receive training provided by the CDC's Heads Up program, which provides education about concussions and best practice guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of a head injury.
Please educate yourself on signs, symptoms, and other information related to head injuries and concussions using the resources provided on this page.
Heads Up from the CDC
For more information about concussions and the Heads Up program from the CDC, click this link: https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/index.html
Information About Head Lice
It is important to educate our families here at Hammond about the very common, but very treatable nuisance that is head lice. Please keep in mind that head lice are not an indication of a lack of hygiene, nor do they spread disease, and we as a community must work together to reduce the stigma associated with this issue to reduce potential emotional harm to our students.
According to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, the steps listed below have been proven to be the most effective in reducing cases of head lice in a community.
- Incorporate a head check into your students’ daily or weekly hygiene routine.
- When head lice are found contact your doctor or pharmacist, who will suggest a treatment for your child. Treatment should begin immediately. Most treatments should be repeated in 6-10 days. Refer to the manufacturer’s directions or ask your physician if you are unsure of when to re-treat your child.
- Screen all other persons in your household and communicate your finding with the parents of other children who may have come in close contact with your student in recent weeks.
- Notify the School Health Office if your student was found to have head lice.
- Remind your child to avoid head-to-head contact with other students, and not to share hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, combs, brushes or other personal items with other students.
- Vacuum all rugs, carpets, and furniture your student may have come in contact with and machine wash clothing and bed linens using hot water and a high heat drying cycle. All other items that were in close contact with the student can be placed in a plastic bag for two weeks. Head lice and nits can only survive on a human head, they cannot survive on animals, and they do not lay their eggs anywhere except on a hair shaft attached to a head. A louse cannot survive longer than 48 hours without a human host.
The School Health Office head lice policy reflects the most effective approach to head lice in the community and to reduce student absenteeism. Please keep in mind that the School Health Office keeps student information strictly confidential and is unable to share specific information on any student’s health.
Facts about Headlice
If you find your child has head lice, keep calm and treat. Headlice is common among children, but if you treat promptly and continue to monitor your child for signs of reinfestation, you will be doing all you can to end the life cycle of the human louse. Be sure to check the heads of any other children in the home, and communicate with the parents of your child's friends if transmission may have occurred.
Our policy at Hammond Central School is based on the latest information about headlice provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
If you or your child have any questions or concerns, information about head lice can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/gen_info/faqs.html
Ticks and Lyme Disease: Important Information
Tick and pest season is getting worse every year.
To learn more about how to identify ticks and about the diseases they can carry, follow the links in the right hand column.
Prevention is key:
- Always cover as much as your child's skin as possible, tucking in socks and wearing light colored, tightly woven material when they will be outdoors
- Always check your child for any signs of ticks, especially in their arm pits, backs of knees, between their legs, and along their hairline
- Remove ticks immediately upon discovery using tweezers cleaned with rubbing alcohol, save the tick in the event your child develops a rash and needs to see the doctor. This may help in diagnosing a disease
- Dispose of ticks by flushing them down the toilet Ticks must be attached to a host for more than 24 hours in order to transmit a disease to the host
- The hallmark "bulls eye" rash usually shows up 3-30 days after infection, so continue to check your child's skin for rashes throughout the spring, summer and fall
- Check yourself, and your pets for ticks and other insects, and treat your pets appropriately with flea and tick medication to repel pests
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