Nurse’s Corner

Regardless of COVID-19, students who are ill should not attend school or childcare. The survey link below is sent directly to the school nurse after completed. The survey will allow the nurse to understand what symptoms your child is having. Allow for 24 hours for response. A child who is sick should wait until they are at least 24 hours symptom free and 24 hours fever free without the use of any medication to reduce fever. Please wait for a response before sending your child back to school.

If your child becomes ill during the school day, you will be notified to pick up your child. We ask that you pick up your child within one hour of notification. If someone other than the parent/guardian will be picking up your child, please notify the school center prior.

Medications can be given in the childcare and preschool/school age setting as necessary. A registered nurse is on staff daily to provide this service, and if unavailable, a trained staff member will administer medication as needed. Medications that are given daily should be given at home, and medications that are twice a day should also be given at home if possible. Under no circumstance is a child allowed to carry medication on them or in their backpacks unless approved by their physician and the nurse for emergency medical necessity.

Any medication supplied by parents to be administered must have the originally marked labeled container and must include the child’s name and administration instructions. No medication that is past expiration date can be given. All medications on campus will be stored and locked and out of children’s reach. Controlled medications will always be kept and locked in the nurse’s office.

OTC Medications:

Over the counter medications can be given for up to 7 days. If the dose, length of time to be given or frequency is more than the label advises, a physician’s written order is required, along with a medication request form signed by the parent or legal guardian. Over the counter medications cannot be kept with student and must be provided to the school nurse, with student’s name and DOB on the medication.

Emergency Medication:

Emergency Medications such as an epi-pen, inhaler, seizure medication or diabetic management will require an action plan by the physician to be provided. A medication request form will also be completed and signed by the parent or legal guardian. Only the dose and frequency provided by physician on the medical action plan can be administered. No child should self-carry medication unless cleared by their physician and school nurse. These medications will be stored in a location that is quickly accessible and readily available.

If you are sending in a request to administer medication at school, please provide the form along with the medication to a staff member upon dropping of your child. Do not send medication in the child’s bookbag/with their belongings.

Please Note: A medication label is required for prescription medication. If you do not have a prescription label, please ask your pharmacy to reprint the label for school use. If medication is needed for the school setting and at home, the pharmacy can split medications between bottles and provide a label for both, so one can be kept at school.

The form below is the form we require all physical exams to be completed on, which does include children of school age. If you have any questions, please let us know. See below for Physical Exam requirements:

For preschool: A physical exam is required yearly for preschool children
For infants and young toddlers: A physical exam is required to be provided at least every 6 months
For older toddlers: A physical exam is required to be provided at least every 12 months
For School-Age children: A kindergarten physical is required, and again upon entry to 6th grade

This form can be printed and taken to your child’s physical appointment. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Dental Exams are crucial to keep your child’s oral health in check. In Pennsylvania, children are required for school to have a dental exam upon entry to kindergarten, 3rd grade, and 6th grade. For the Pre-K counts program, an annual dental exam is required. The dental exam form is accessible by clicking below. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Our COVID-19 Response

It is our goal to keep every child, staff member, and the families of our community safe from all illness, including COVID-19. We have taken great initiative to reflect this in our policies, procedures and our Health and Safety Plan. At Bright Beginnings, we strive to implement best practice guidance related to health and safety into our daily routine. We use layered mitigation strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Our most up to date Health and Safety Plan is available for viewing.

Daily Health Screening

We continue to do our Daily Health Check on all staff and children. A temperature check must be done daily upon arrival. Please do not send your child to school and follow up with the school nurse if you answer “YES” to any of the questions below:

-Does your child have any of the following symptoms:
-Fever of 100.4F or greater
-Cough
-Congestion/Runny nose
-Body Aches, Fatigue, Chills
-Sore Throat
-Loss of taste and smell
-Is anyone in your household waiting on COVID-19 test results?
-Is anyone in your household (+) for COVID-19?
-Has your child been in close contact with anyone who is (+) for COVID-19?

If your child becomes ill during the school day, you will be notified to pick up your child. We ask that you pick up your child within one hour of notification. If someone other than the parent/guardian will be picking up your child, please notify the school center prior.

The following links below are helpful COVID-19 Resources.

Vision and hear screenings are exams that are done annually with our preschool students. Although these screenings are not used to formulate a diagnosis, they are helpful in identifying children who may need a referral to an eye doctor or a hearing specialist. If an abnormal screening is found, parents will be notified and information for referrals will be given.

CDC: FLU FOR PARENTS!