Health Offices

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Mrs. Bachich

Mrs. Bachich, RN
-- Primary --
Extension 1010

Fax # 518-692-7658

Mrs. D’Acchille

Mrs. D'Acchille, RN
-- Middle Grade --
Extension 1020

Fax # 518-692-0001

JSHS Nurse

-- Jr. / Sr. High School --
Extension 1030

Fax # 518-300-1443

Required Flu Notification (English , Spanish and Chinese)

Flu Notification - English

Flu Notification - Spanish

Flu Notification - Chinese

REQUIRED!! New York State School Health Examination Form

The NEW NYS Required Health Examination Form includes the following updates:

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Information
Appropriate Inclusive Terms
System Review: Added Mental Health
Physical Examination: Added "System Review Within Normal Limits"
Health History Diagnoses: Added instructions, Removed the "Yes/No" option
Vision: Added "With Correction" "Yes/No" option
Referrals: Removed all the "No" options
Added "Free From Communicable Disease" to meet PreK contract requirements

NYS Screening Requirements

Student Accident Claim Form

NYS School Health Exam Form

Physical Form

Dental Health Certificate

Gym Excuses

When to Keep Your Child Home from School

Temperature (temp of 100 or greater) in the past 24 hours. The child must be fever free and not use fever-reducing medication (Tylenol, Advil, Motrin) for a full 24 hours before returning to school.
Vomiting or persistent diarrhea. Student needs to be symptom free for 24 hours prior to returning to school
Diagnosed with strep infection. Student needs to be on antibiotic for a minimum of 24 hours and fever free before returning to school
Frequent, congested (wet) or croupy cough, chest congestion or any signs of respiratory distress
Pink eye (conjunctivitis) - red, itchy eyes with crusting or drainage. Student can return to school after being seen by a healthcare provider and on antibiotic for 24 hours
Certain skin conditions - student can return to school after being cleared by a healthcare provider

Sports

Note: For sports related health information please visit the Athletics Information page.

Concussion Protocal / Return to Play Policy
(BOE District Policy Manual - Section 7522)

Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act

Food Allergies

If your child has been diagnosed with a food allergy, please notify the School Health Office so that appropriate safety measures may be initiated. For information on food allergies, click here

Immunizations

Immunization Requirements

Hepatitis B Immunization Requirement

Hepatitis B Fact Sheet

Varicella (Chicken Pox) Fact Sheet

NOTE: Please provide documentation to update your child's file if they have had recent immunizations.

Medication

In order for medications to be administered to a student correctly and safely the following guidelines have been established by New York State.

Medication will not be administered to your child without parental and physician written authorization. This guideline includes the administration of prescription and over the counter (OTC) medication. Over the counter medication includes Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, medicated cough drops, ointments, creams, eye and ear drops, cough syrups, etc. OTC orders must come from your child's primary care physician. The school physician will not sign OTC forms. PHONE CALLS WILL NOT BE MADE HOME FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF OTC MEDS. Please make sure orders are on file before the start of school. Ibuprofen, Tylenol and Benadryl will be stocked at school. Any other OTC meds your PCP authorizes must be provided from home in a new unopened container with your child's name on it. If your child cannot swallow pills you will need to provide liquid medication for them from home.

Prescription medication must be brought to the Health Office by a parent/guardian in the original container, or an appropriately labeled container supplied by the pharmacist. Please request an extra, labeled empty container from the pharmacist for Health Office use. An extra container is very helpful for use during classroom field trips. Parents must assume responsibility for the safe delivery of medication. Your child's medication will then be kept in the Health Office and administered according to your physician's orders.

Students who are ten years of age or older and use prescribed inhaled medication may be determined by their physician to be responsible to self-administer an inhaler. The physician must provide documentation stating they "attest" the student is independent in their use of the MDI. In this case we would not monitor your child's inhaler use unless your child experiences difficulty and requires medical assistance.

The Health Office requires written authorization from the parent/guardian and the physician to discontinue use of a prescribed medication. This includes the use of inhalers and epipens. A parent may call the Health Office to notify me of discontinuation, but written notice from both parent and physician should follow within 48 hours.

Please feel free to contact the Health Offices with any questions:

Thank you for helping us to provide a healthy school environment for us all.

Quick Tips from the Health Offices

Physical exams are required for all students entering Kindergarten. They are also required for grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. It is extremely useful to hand in an updated Physical exam form every time your child has an annual Physical exam with their health care provider in order to keep their school health records up to date.
As your child receives vaccines it is important to hand in proof of the immunization to keep their school health records up to date.
Keep the school nurse updated with any pertinent health history, surgery, allergies, medications or anything you feel would be useful.
In the event a student is unable to participate in gym activities due to illness, injury etc. a parent/guardian may request this in writing to the school nurse for one day. Anything beyond one day requires a written note from your healthcare provider. Anytime a student is unable to participate in gym activities they are not allowed to participate in recess.

Medications at School

In order to comply with New York State Law, the following procedures must be followed for all students requiring medication during school hours:

A written physician's order to administer the medication must be provided to the Health Office.
Signed written parental/guardian consent to administer the medication must be on file in the Health Office.
The medication must be brought to the Health Office by the parent/guardian in the original labeled container including prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Medications not in their original containers will not be accepted.
The above orders are for both prescribed and OTC medications including Tylenol, Advil, cough/cold medications, etc.
Students are NOT permitted to carry medications (prescribed and/or OTCs) with them during school at any time.
Exceptions in special circumstances are students requiring inhalers and/or emergency medications such as epi-pen. A signed written order from the physician and parent/guardian for permission for self-administration is required in these special cases. Permission to allow these students to carry their medications is at the discretion of the Health Office.
If you have any questions regarding medications in the school setting, please contact the nurse in the school your child attends.
Download an Administration of medications in school.

Illness

RSV

Strep

Coxsackie Virus

Covid- guidance

Diet and Exercise

Healthy After School Snacks

Snack Kebabs: Cut raw vegetables or fruit into chunks and place on a wooden skewer. Be creative and make patterns! To prevent discoloration, dip apples, bananas, or pears in orange juice after they have been cut.
Veggies with Dip: Cut celery, zucchini, cucumbers or carrots into sticks or coins. Dip them into salsa or low fat dip.
Banana Pops: Peel a banana. Dip it in yogurt, then roll in crushed breakfast cereal and freeze
Sandwich Cut-Outs: Using cookie cutters with fun shapes, cut slices of cheese, meat, and whole-grain bread. Put them together to make fun sandwiches.
Ants on a Log: Fill celery with peanut butter or cream cheese. Arrange raisins along the top.
Ice Cream-Wiches: Put a small scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt between two oatmeal cookies or graham crackers. Make a batch of these sandwiches and freeze them.
Peanut Butter Balls: Mix peanut butter and bran or corn flakes in a bowl. Shape them into balls then roll them in crushed graham crackers.
Smoothie: In a blender mix an 8oz berry yogurt (the berrier, the better) ¼ cup orange juice, 1 bananas, 6 frozen strawberries. If your strawberries aren't frozen, then you need to add ice cubes to thicken the mix).

Lunch Box Makeovers

Include a fruit!!!
Include a vegetable!!!
Use whole grain bread instead of white.
Limit cookies, cakes, and other sweet baked goods.
Skip the chips (don't get caught in the convenience trap).
Pack pretzels, Cheerios, bread sticks, or low fat crackers.
Pack 100% juice.
Pack lunch the night before school, when you have a little more time plan on what to pack.
Be creative! Mix foods, cut foods differently, have a theme (Wacky Wed.), add new foods, (exotic fruits…)
Grocery shop with your child, and decide on nutritional items for the lunch box together.
Watch out for foods advertised as "health foods" that may not be so healthy; examples are yogurt high in sugar, granola bars loaded with chips.

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity in the United States has grown considerably in recent years. Between 16 and 33% of children and adolescents are obese. It is among one of the easiest medical conditions to recognize, but one of the most difficult to treat.

Obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up. A few extra pounds do not suggest obesity, but they may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily. Generally a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10% higher than what is medically recommended for the height and body type. Obesity commonly begins in childhood between the ages of 5 and 6, and during adolescence.

Many different factors can play a role in childhood obesity. Our society has become very sedentary. Television, computer and video games contribute to a lack of physical activity. Many adolescents watch more than 2 hours of television each day. Fast food restaurants and "on-the-go type foods " are high in fats, carbohydrates, and calories. Medical conditions such as thyroid disease, medications such as steroids and some psychiatric medications, and stressful events such as divorce, moving, and deaths can play a major role in overeating.

Doctors and other health care professionals are the best people to determine whether your child's weight is unhealthy. They also can rule out medical problems as the cause. Health professionals often use growth charts and body mass index to assess whether a child or adolescent is overweight. The physician will also consider your child's age and growth patterns to determine whether his or her weight is healthy.

Risk factors for heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes occur with increased frequency in overweight children. The most immediate consequence of obesity as perceived by the children themselves is social discrimination. This is associated with poor self-esteem and depression.

Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated whatever his or her weight. An overweight child probably knows better than anyone else that her or she has a weight problem. Overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.

The following are suggestions for physical activity and healthy eating:

Plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment.
Encourage swimming, biking, skating, ball sports, walking, track, and other activities
Reduce the amount of time spent watching television and playing video games.
Encourage your child to only eat when hungry and to eat slowly.
Eat meals together as a family as often as possible.
Cut down on the amount of fat and calories in your family's diet.
Don't place your child on a restrictive diet.
Avoid the use of food as a reward and avoid withholding food as a punishment.
Encourage water intake and limit the intake of beverages with added sugars, such as soft drinks, fruit juice drinks, and sports drinks.
Plan for healthy snacks. Stock the refrigerator with low calorie drinks, fresh fruit and vegetables.
Discourage eating meals or snacks while watching television.
Encourage eating a healthy breakfast every day.

Your child's diet should be safe and nutritious. Any weight management program should be supervised by a physician. Always check with your child's physician before beginning a weight management or exercise program.

Resources

Stethoscope

GreenwichCentral School District

Health Offices

Required Flu Notification (English , Spanish and Chinese)

Required Physical Exam Letter

BMI Opt Out Form 2022-23