Beth Ziemba, RN, BSN, NCSN
413-663-5383, extension 108
Welcome to our new and returning students. The nurse’s office is the third door down after turning right from the main entrance. I look forward to helping to make your student’s life here at McCann a healthier one, and am here full-time to manage illness and injury during the school day. My goals are to provide support and care to your student, communicate as needed with you as parents and caregivers, to help minimize time spent out of the classroom, and to aid the student in being healthy and ready to learn.
The following is general information for your review.
A Confidential Health Information Form should be completed on all students. They are distributed to all incoming students, but if you need one of these forms, they are available in the nurse’s office. This gives the nurse information about potential health needs, as well as permission to provide care and services by the school’s standing physician’s orders ( for example, to give acetaminophen or ibuprofen for headaches).
If your student requires medication during school, a doctor’s order is needed. Parents also must give signed permission. A responsible adult must bring the medication to the nurse’s office in the original container. For prescriptions, this must be the pharmacy container. Any unused medication needs to be retrieved within one week of the school year ending.
Some students have life-threatening allergies requiring epipens. Others may need to use inhalers due to asthma. Both of these require doctor’s orders and signed parent permission. The order needs to be specific to why these are needed, and whether the student is allowed to carry them on their person during school hours. If so, the nurse will evaluate that the student knows how to self-administer correctly. We need to work together to make a plan on how these health issues will be managed during the school day or on field trips.
If the student is ill during school, ( for example, has a fever, diarrhea or vomiting), or is injured and requires follow-up medical attention, a parent will be contacted related to dismissal. Students that are being dismissed can be found either be in the nurse’s office, or the main office depending on their status. Some students may return to class until a parent arrives, if able. You will need to check-in at the main office, and sign your student out at time of dismissal. Please bring appropriate identification with you.
If your student is ill before school with fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, please keep them at home. If your student is out of school for any reason, you can contact the nurse’s office (663-5383. ext. 108) and the reason will be documented on the absentee list. If your student has a doctor’s appointment, they can obtain a note from the their office excusing the absence or dismissal.
All freshmen and transfer students are expected to have a physical exam that has been completed within a year prior to entry, submitted to the school nurse. This is mandated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH). All athletes need to have an annual physical submitted to the nurse, good within 13 months of beginning participation in any sport’s season. The MIAA Physical Form can be printed and taken to the doctor’s office, or the doctor can submit one of their own forms indicating that the student can participate in sports.
All freshmen and transfer students also need to be up-to-date on their immunizations as recommended by the MDPH. To enter McCann, students need to have documentation of the following
Hepatitis B: 3 doses
Hib: 4 doses
DTP/DTaP: 4 doses, plus one Td booster
Polio: 3 doses
MMR: 2 doses measles, 1 mumps, 1 rubella
Varicella: 1 dose if < 13 years, 2 doses if >13 years, or physician documentation of having chicken pox disease
Screenings are mandated by the MDPH. All freshmen will have hearing, vision, and postural screening performed during the school year, and you will be notified in writing should follow-up be needed.
Sophomores will have their height and weight measurements done, and the BMI will be calculated. Each student will confidentially receive the information in writing to be forwarded home to their parents. Parents may opt to exempt their students from this process, by submitting a signed note requesting they not be screened. This needs to be received before January 1st of the current school year.
If there are specific health-related issues that you would like to discuss with me, please call 413-663-5383, extension 108. Hopefully, we can work together to keep your student healthy and in school.
