All districts must provide and maintain a continuous program of health services which includes, but is not limited to:
OESJ’s Health Services program supports student academic success by promoting health in the school setting. One way that we provide care for your student is by performing health screenings that are mandated by the State of New York.
During the school year, the following screenings will be required or completed at school:
Every child entering or attending a district school must present proof of immunization or proof of immunity by serology (blood test) if applicable unless:
Except for the above two exemptions, the district may not permit a student lacking evidence of immunization to remain in school for more than 14 days, or more than 30 days for an out-of-state or out-of-country transferee who can show a good faith effort to get the necessary certification or other evidence of immunization.
Any time your child has a new immunization, please give the school nurse a copy for your child’s official record.
Students who get sick during the school day need to report to the school nurse before calling or texting a parent to come get them or leaving school on their own. Any student leaving school due to illness must be released by the school nurse.
Because New York State is interested in data about children’s health, schools are required to keep height and weight data and to calculate students’ Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a way of checking for underweight or overweight youngsters based on their height and weight. Some schools will be surveyed by the state Department of Health each year and asked to share the number of pupils they have in each of six possible BMI categories based on students’ age and sex. If our district is surveyed by the state, we will only share group data (for instance, the number of second grade boys whose BMI is below the fifth percentile), not individual data. However, if parents wish their child’s data to be excluded from such group calculations, they may do so by contacting their school nurse.
The school’s registered professional nurse may administer medication to a student during the school day under certain conditions. For the purpose of this policy, the term “medication” includes both prescription and non-prescription medications. The school must receive the following before medication will be administered to a student:
A student is not permitted to carry any medication on his or her person in school, or on the school bus, or keep any medication in his or her school locker(s). Exceptions may apply, however, for students diagnosed with asthma or other respiratory illnesses, diabetes, or allergies who will be permitted to carry and self-administer medication under certain conditions.
All medication orders must be reviewed annually by school health office personnel or whenever there is a change in dosage.
To play on a team, or even practice, students must — by law — have a sports physical on file with the school nurse. Students who participate in interscholastic sports, must have a physical every 12 months. Medical histories must be updated and reviewed by the school nurse before each sport season.
Students injured during a sport season must have written clearance from their doctor before the school doctor can allow them to return to play. All athletes require a parent/guardian signed Health History Update Form at the beginning of each sport season. The physical and health history forms can be found on the Forms page of this website
Public school districts are required to have Automated External Defibrillators in each instructional school building and at athletic events.
In emergencies, the school nurse will follow established first aid procedures. These procedures include the following requirements:
District Health Coordinator:
Gabrielle Smith, RN
(518) 568-2013
(518) 568-2797 (fax)
gabrielle.smith@oesj.org