Families Need to Know

Health Concerns: Please alert the School Health Office if your child has any health problems. Allergies are a good example. There are so many allergies now to foods, plants, trees, beestings, or latex. Children with a known life threatening allergy or with a history of asthma should have medical orders and their emergency medication brought to school by an adult at the start of each school year.    We have several students with life threatening allergy to nuts and peanut products. Centerville is a nut safe school and we do not permit any nut or peanut products in the school. Please be diligent in checking the ingredient list on any foods you send to school for your child as even airborne exposure can be problematic for severely sensitive students.  

Medications: Medications such as antibiotics should be given at home and every effort made to avoid school hours. When this is not possible, medication may be administered in the Health Office. A signed authorization form, completed by both parent/guardian and your child’s physician is required by law before any medication will be administered at school. This includes both prescription and over the counter medications. Medication authorization forms listing all regulations are located in the Health Forms Section of this website. Elementary students may not carry medications at any time. Adults only are to bring medications to the Health Office in a current pharmacy bottle or original container. It is also a help if you have a school picture of your child with their medication, especially if they have an inhaler or Epi-Pen. Also, if a child takes a daily medication at home, it is helpful for the nurse to know. Medical orders and notes can be faxed to 508-790-9895. 

 Over the Counter Medication: Medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen for fever or pain, Calamine lotion for skin irritations or Vaseline for dry skin and chapped lips cannot be administered without parental consent at the start of each school year. You will find this on the Back to School Information link on the left side menu of the Centerville Elementary School website.

Injuries:  Remember to contact the health office when your child has suffered any significant physical injury such as a concussion, broken bones, sprains, or has required stiches. If your child has had surgery or been seen in the ER for injury or illness, it is helpful for the nurse to be aware as she can support your child’s recovery. Often injuries or surgery may require a short period of limited physical activity. A medical note is needed for injuries or when your child requires assistive devises such as crutches, as well as when your child is cleared and able to return to full activity. 

Absence /Dismissal:  Parents and Guardians must call the school first thing in the morning each day that your student is going to be absent. You may even call during the night if you are up with an ill child and leave a private message on the nurse’s line 508-790-9892. This information is very important to track illness in our school community and it lets me know that all our students are safe and accounted for.

If your dismissal plans need to change from your child’s regular routine you must send a note with the planned change for that day and include who will be picking up your child. This person must be listed on your emergency contact list and be prepared to show identification when they dismiss your child. Certainly we will do our best to accommodate in unexpected emergency situations.

In school illness:  Any student not well enough to remain in school must report to the School Health Office. The decisions for dismissal will be made by the nurse and the parent/guardian contacted. You must make sure that contact information for parents/guardians and two alternates, who may come get your child, is current.

Sick at home: Please report confirmed diagnosis of any communicable disease to the health office. Keep children at home when ill or they have a diagnosed contagious illness: such as chicken pox, strep throat, conjunctivitis, flu like illness or scarlet fever. Your child should stay home until the doctor says it is advisable to return. If the child is treated with antibiotics, the student must be on the medication for a full 24 hours and doing well, prior to returning to school. Children must remain at home if they have had any vomiting or diarrhea, a temperature over 100.4, or a fever that causes chills, sweating or muscle aches, within the past 24 hours.  If your child has a fever please keep them home until fever free, without any fever reducing medication for 24 hours. Keep them at home if there has been any vomiting or diarrhea in past 24 hours. Remember to reinforce good hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes with his/her arm, not their hand, unless he/she uses a tissue. Be sure to model these actions frequently to remain healthy at home as well.

Head Lice: Never good news, lice are always a concern and a common problem that is transferred head to head when children work closely together. It is up to the parents to check your children’s heads with every shampoo so you will find the problem early and be able to treat it quickly. Call the health office and I can review what you need to do to treat the problem and keep it from returning. Lice are very small insects that do not have wings but may appear to look much like a tiny fruit fly. They feed off a warm scalp to be able to produce eggs that look like tiny grains of sand wrapped around individual strands of hair. Children must be treated and nits removed before children return class. Please see link on this site for information on lice and its treatment. It includes a web site link which has a detailed demonstration on using a lice comb most effectively.

Healthy Celebrations: Your child’s teacher will share information with you regarding classroom celebrations. Our in school celebrations have become a time for an extra fun activity like extra recess, sports or dancing. Water is always the preferred beverage.  We are helping this next generation to make choices for wellness which will promote a happier and healthier life.