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Social Emotional Learning & Mental Health at Niskayuna
Niskayuna has established the goal of removing mental and emotional barriers to learning.
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The goal of school health services is to maintain optimum health for all children, enabling them to realize their full potential. Niskayuna health services personnel include eight school nurses and two school physicians.
Keeping Children Home from School Due to Illness
Students are expected to attend school every day. However, illness often prevents students from attending school at various times throughout the year. It can be difficult for parents to know whether or not to send their children to school.
A student should not attend school if:
- The child vomits the night before school or the morning of school.
- The child has had a fever of 100 degree F or over in the last 24 hours.
- The child has a cold with persistent heavy nasal drainage.
- A persistent, uncontrollable cough is present.
- The child has a very painful sore throat or a sore throat lasting longer than 24-48 hours and is getting worse.
- Child is receiving medication for a communicable condition (strep throat, pink eye, etc.)
- Child may return to school after being on medication for at least 24 hours.
- The child has experienced vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours.
- An unidentified rash or eye inflammation with discharge is present.
- Students have a strep throat infection.
- Students who have strep throat infection should take their prescribed antibiotics for a full 24 hours before returning to school. It takes 24 hours of antibiotic regime before the child is no longer contagious.
- The child generally does not feel well.
The role of the school nurse is to assess a student’s condition through objective and subjective data in order to make appropriate decisions and recommendations to parents/guardians about illnesses or injuries occurring during the school day and when to seek out medical evaluation and treatment.
If you suspect your child may be ill, please do not send your child to school. We are committed to reducing the spread of illness/communicable diseases to keep children and staff healthy. The nurses are not equipped to keep a sick child at school for extended periods of time.
Do not administer medication to lower abnormal temperatures so that they may attend school. The risk of spreading an illness is detrimental to staff and students in the building.
Please do not send sick children to school to take an exam and tell them to go to the nurse after it is done. Students should be feeling well when they take exams, otherwise it will not benefit the student.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact your school nurse’s office.
Physical Exam Requirements
State law requires a physical examination by a New York State-licensed physician for new entrants and students entering grades prekindergarten or kindergarten, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11.
The health examination may not be more than 12 months prior to the start of the school year in which the exam is required. The examination must be completed by a New York State licensed physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner and on the Required NYS School Health Examination Form. A dental certificate which states your child has been seen by a dentist or dental hygienist is also requested at the same time.
- A copy of the health examination must be provided to the school within 30 days from when your child first starts at the school. If a copy is not given to the school within 30 days, the school will contact you.
- If your child has an appointment for an exam during this school year that is after the first 30 days of school, please notify the Health Office with the date.
- Communication between private and school health staff is important for safe and effective care at school. Your healthcare provider may not share health information with school health staff without your signed permission. Please talk to your provider about signing their consent form for the school at the time of your child’s appointment for the examination.
We suggest you make copies of the completed forms for your own records before sending them to the school health office.
Participating in Sports
All students grades 7-12 who desire to participate in interscholastic athletics must be cleared through the school Nurse’s Office. No student will be allowed to try out, practice or participate with any team without the required physical examination and completed registration via the Arbiter Sports registration website.
Required Immunizations
Children attending PreK-12 in New York State must receive all required doses of vaccines on the recommended schedule in order to attend or remain in school.
Within 14 days of the first day of school parents must:
- Show proof of their child’s up to date vaccinations, OR
- Provide a valid medical exemption from vaccination.
In order to attend or remain in school, children who are unvaccinated or overdue must receive at least the first dose of all required vaccinations within the first 14 days. They also must receive subsequent vaccines in the series within a 14 day period of when they are due to complete the immunization series.
Allergy Aware, Allergy Prepared
The Niskayuna Central School District has adopted an “Allergy Aware, Allergy Prepared” initiative to address a variety of severe allergies through district-wide staff training, symptom-awareness posters, and recommendations for pre-packaged, nut-free snacks.
Medication in School
In order for a school nurse to administer medication during school hours, either prescription or over the counter, the following are required by the State of New York:
- An order from a licensed prescriber including name of medication, dosage and time to be administered;
- Parent/Guardian permission to administer the medication;
- The parent/guardian must assume the responsibility to have the medication delivered directly to the school nurse in a properly labeled original container.
Students who have been diagnosed with severe allergies or asthma may need to carry emergency medications on their person. This is permissible and highly advised. The physician will need to complete a Self Medication Release Form. The school nurse will keep this on file.
BMI Survey
As part of a required school health examination every other year, a student is weighed, and their height is measured. These numbers are used to figure out the student’s body mass index or ‘BMI’. The state requires that BMI and weight status group be included as part of the student’s school health examination.
- Learn more about the BMI Survey.
Working Papers
Students may obtain their 14-15 year old or 16-17 year old working papers in the Nurse’s Office. A parent-completed application is required, and students must have a valid physical dated within one year of the application.
- Learn more about the required Working Papers.