Student Health
Healthy Students, Ready Learners
Our students learn best when they are healthy. At Green Woods Charter School we are dedicated to promoting and protecting the health of students as well as our staff. One of the most important goals of a school nurse is to help identify health conditions that may adversely impact a student from learning. Our School Nurse and our staff help our students to develop their own good health habits that will last throughout their lifetime.The 2022-2023 GWCS Health and Safety plan was development with the most up to date guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and Pennsylvania Department of Education.
About COVID-19
COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Infected people have had a wide range of symptoms reported – from mild symptoms to severe illness. Individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are less likely to develop severe symptoms; to the extent you and/or your student(s), if applicable, are eligible for the vaccine, Green Woods Charter School strongly encourages you to obtain one.
Know the Symptoms of COVID-19
Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Health Room Policies
Important Note:
Families notified to pick up a child from the health room are required to arrive to the health room within 1 hour of the initial phone call from the School Nurse. All families are required to have backup plans in place to avoid any delay. This requirement is not only for the comfort of your own child, but for the consideration of other Green Woods students that may become ill and require confidential care in the nurse's office. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Immunization Requirements
PA.Public School Code 23
In order to begin school on the first day, physical examinations completed within one year prior to the date of entrance are required for all students transferring from another school as well as those entering the Kindergarten. A vision examination is strongly recommended. The Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of School Health requires that students show evidence of having received the mandated immunizations, at the correct intervals, at each grade level. All students who are new to Pennsylvania's schools must also comply with this requirement.
Exemptions:
Students may be exempted from these requirements on religious or medical grounds if the parents(s), guardians(s), present a signed statement explaining the objection at the time of registration.
Religious objections must set forth the specific religious beliefs which would prohibit the specific examination, immunization, or other medical intervention signed by both the students' physician and parent.
Medical objections to immunization require written verification from the physician and must indicate that the immunization is medically contraindicated and what the medical condition is that poses a potential health risk for the student.
Please Note: Per 28 Pennsylvania Code 23.81, if your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be removed from school during an outbreak of a disease that your child does not have immunity.
About the Health Room
The Health Room cares for student's injuries that occur at school. The school's responsibility for the administration of emergency care is primarily limited to first aid only. First Aid is defined as the immediate and temporary care given in order to prevent further injury until advanced medical care can be secured.
Transportation, except for emergencies, is the responsibility of the parent or guardian within one hour. If you are unavailable by phone during the day, and are unable to pick up your child within one hour of notification, it is essential that the parent/guardian provide the school with emergency numbers.
Please report ALL communicable diseases (chickenpox, whooping cough, strep throat, scarlet fever, pink eye, impetigo, fifth's disease, head lice, scabies, ring worm, measles, mumps, etc.) to the School Health office. Keep your child home for a period of 24 hours of medication treatment if indicated, or until after the contagious period for the illness is over. This time frame may be longer for more serious communicable diseases.
Student's may return to school after they are fever free (without the use of fever reducing medications) for 24 hours, vomiting and/or diarrhea free for 24 hours.
Neglect and Abuse:
Teachers or school personnel who know or suspect that a child is neglected or abused are required by law to immediately submit an oral or written report to the Department of Health and Human Services. As mandated reporters, we are instructed NOT to investigate the situation, as the investigation is the job of DHS. All schools in the state of Pennsylvania are mandated by law to report to the Department of Health and Human Services excessive lateness and any student that has 9 cumulative (not necessarily consecutive) unexcused absences in a school year. If your child has an injury please consider informing your child's teacher.
Medication Policy
When possible, prescription medication should be given at home. The administration of medication during school hours or during school-related activities is discouraged unless it is necessary for the critical health and well being of the student. If medication needs to be given three times a day, it should be given at home before school, at home after school and at bedtime.
However, if it must be given during the school day, please follow these guidelines: All medications to be taken during the school day should be brought to the School Nurse by a parent or designated adult. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to obtain or download the required Medication Administration Form (Med I Form) for Physician Authorization for the medication to be administered at school. The Med I form must be renewed at the beginning of each school year and whenever there is a change in the dose or a discontinuation of the medication. Medication Administration Form is available for download on our GWCS website.
Over the Counter Medication
These medications include cough/cold remedies, pain relievers such as Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and medicated topical applications. All over the counter medication that students bring to school must be in Manufacturer-labeled containers.
Prescription Medication
All prescription medications must be in a pharmacy labeled bottle (ask the pharmacist to dispense a duplicate bottle for use at school). The pharmaceutical container must state the student's name, the name of the medication, the dose to be administered, and the name of the prescribing physician. For short-term antibiotics, given for less than two weeks, the parent signature and the prescription labeled container is sufficient authorization. Unused Medication must be picked up by the last day of the school year or it will be discarded.
These medication guidelines are mandated by the State of PA. Division of School Health and are designed for the safety of your child and are strictly enforced.
Health Room Forms: