Health and Wellness

The main function of the School Health Services is physical and dental examinations and follow-up with the aim that all remedial defects be corrected. The health program includes physical examinations, dental screenings, vision, hearing, height and weight, BMI, scoliosis screening, and health counseling.

Emergency care will be administered to those students who become ill or have accidents during school hours. In case of major illness or accident, the following procedures will be followed:

1. Parents will be called for instruction.
2. Procedures listed on the Student Emergency Information Form will be followed.
3. The student will be taken to the emergency room at the hospital. Treatment of minors in the emergency room is given only in life-threatening situations without the consent of a parent or guardian.

At the beginning of each school year, parents are asked to complete the Student Emergency Information Form. The form should be filled in accurately, and the school should be notified of any changes in procedure, address or telephone numbers that occur during the school year. The parent or guardian must sign this emergency form. It is very important that some responsible person can be reached at all times, should there be an emergency with a student.

Pennsylvania's school immunization requirements can be found in 28 Pa.CODE CH.23 (School Immunization). Contact your healthcare provider or call 1-877-PA-HEALTH for more information. 

• 4 doses of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis* (1 dose on or after the 4th birthday)
• 4 doses of polio (4th dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after previous dose given)**
• 2 doses of measles, mumps, rubella***
• 3 doses of hepatitis B
• 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) or evidence of immunity

*Usually given as DTP or DTaP or if medically advisable, OT or Td 
** A fourth dose is not necessary if the third dose was administered at age 4 years  or older and at least 6 months after the previous dose 
***Usually given as MMR 

ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, unless the child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had at least one dose of the above vaccinations or risk exclusion.

• If a child does not have all the doses listed above, needs addition-al doses, and the next dose is medically appropriate, the child must receive that dose within the first five days of school or risk exclu-sion. If the next dose is not the final dose of the series, the child must also provide a medical plan (red and white card) within the first five days of school for obtaining the required immunizations or risk exclusion.
• If a child does not have all the doses listed above, needs addition-al doses, and the next dose is not medically appropriate, the child must provide a medical plan (red and white card) within the first five days of school for obtaining the required immunizations or risk exclusion.
• The medical plan must be followed or risk exclusion.

FOR ATTENDANCE IN 7TH GRADE: 

•     1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) on the first day of 7th grade.
•     1 dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) on the first day of 7th grade.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF 7TH GRADE, unless the child has a medical or reli-gious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had the above vaccines or risk exclusion. 

FOR ATTENDANCE IN 12TH GRADE: 

•  1 dose of MCV on the first day of 12th grade. If one dose was given at 16 years of age or older, that shall count as the twelfth grade dose.

ON THE FIRST DAY OF 12TH GRADE, unless the child has a medical or reli-gious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had the above vaccines or risk exclusion. 

The vaccines required for entrance, 7th grade and 12th grade continue to be required in each succeeding school year. 

These requirements allow for the following exemptions: medical reason, religious belief, or philosophical/strong moral or ethical conviction. Even if your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be excluded from school during an outbreak of vaccine preventable disease. 

Each school year, the following health screenings are provided for each student:

• Vision Screening to check far and near vision
• Color Vision and Stereo Depth Perception is checked in first grade or new students not previously screened
• Height and weight
• BMI (BMI check includes grades 9-12)
• Hearing Screening (grade 11)

Parents should confer with the child`s physician to arrange medication time intervals to avoid school hours whenever possible. No medication, other than those on the list sent home at the beginning of each school year, may be administered without written authorization from the physician and the parent/guardian.

When medication absolutely must be taken during school hours, the parent or guardian must submit a written request, signed by the physician and parent, to the school nurse in order for their child to take any medication. The appropriate form and related letter may be found in the nurse`s office and on the Family Hub.