Health Services
Health Offices
Averill Park High School:
Valene Miller, BSN,RN, Co-Director of Nursing – School Nurse
Phone: 674-7020
Fax: 674-7052
Algonquin Middle School:
Valerie Dingee, RN – School Nurse
Phone: 674-7103
Health Office fax: 674-8426
Main Office fax: 674-0671
Miller Hill-Sand Lake Elementary School:
Kathryn Padalino, BSRN – School Nurse
Phone: 674-7092
Main Office Fax: 674-8003
Poestenkill Elementary School:
Allyson White, BSRN – School Nurse
Phone: 674-7127
Main Office Fax: 286-1971
West Sand Lake Elementary School:
Mollie Wendell, BSRN – School Nurse
Phone: 674-7184
Main Office Fax: 674-3225
District Nurse,Robert C Parker School nurse, and Co-Director of Nursing
Rebecca Everett, BSRN – School Nurse
Phone: 674-7020
Important Medication Information to keep in mind for EVERY school year:
- New medication forms for both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications must be signed every year by a healthcare provider and parent/guardian.
- Must have written parental permission for Tylenol and Ibuprofen to be given during the school day. If you want your child to self-carry these types of medication then there MUST be an order from their provider on file in the nurse’s office that is written every year.
- The link for the Tylenol/Ibuprofen permission slip is attached here. THIS MUST BE FILLED OUT EVERY SCHOOL YEAR AND TURNED IN. The nurse is not able to take verbal permission per our school medical director.
- Medication must remain in the properly labeled pharmacy or original OTC container. Your child CAN NOT share ANY medication prescribed or over the counter (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Midol, Pamprin, or allergy medication) with another student.
- The parent/guardian is responsible for having prescribed medication delivered directly to the school in a properly labeled original container by an adult.
- If your child has rescue medications for respiratory conditions, epinephrine auto-injector, or insulin, glucagon, and related diabetes supplies, there must be a provider’s written permission which includes an attestation that the student has demonstrated the ability to self-administer and written parent/guardian consent. For other conditions, your child may be able to self-carry and self-administer but will need written permission from both you and your provider.
Please ask your pharmacist to give you a second identically labeled container for any prescription medications your student will take at school. We also request that you bring small containers of any OTC medications that your child will take.
This will allow the School Nurse to send these medications on field trips and comply with New York State laws on medication storage.
Medication forms are available on the district website or may be obtained from the school health office. Your healthcare provider may use their own form if desired.
A Flu Update from the New York State Department of Health
Please see guidance from New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) regarding The Flu. Download
Doctor Note Information
The requested information found here should be included on all doctor’s notes. This information, when provided, will help your child to continue to receive P.E. credit if they are able to participate in some way. This will also allow accomodations, if needed, for your child during the school day. For athletics, the more specific information provided will improve the coordinated care between the athletic trainer and nurses, as well as improve the transition in returning to play.
Mandated Health Screenings
The district’s School Health Services program supports your student’s academic success by promoting health in the school setting. One way that we provide care for your student is by performing the health screenings as mandated by the State of New York. During this school year, the following screenings will be required or completed at school:
Vision
- Distance and near acuity for all newly entering students and students in Pre-K or Kindergarten, Grades 1, 3, 5, 7, and 11.
- Color perception screening for all newly entering students.
Hearing
- Hearing screening for all newly entering students and students in Pre-K or Kindergarten, Grades 1, 3, 5, 7, and 11.
Scoliosis
- Scoliosis (spinal curvature) screening for all girls in grades 5 and 7, and boys in grade 9.
A letter will be sent home if your student needs follow-up with your health care provider.
Parent Guidelines for Students With Illness
In an effort to help keep our school community healthy, the district wants to share some reminders:
1. Please do not send your child/children to school with any newly developed symptoms of illness/ COVID-19: (this list is continually being updated by the CDC-Please check their website for updates: cdc.org)
- Fever or chills (100F or greater)
- 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, and/or
- Diarrhea
If your child/children has any of these symptoms please do not send your children to school, but contact the attendance office in your child’s/children’s school(s) and contact your child’s primary care physician for further directions.
If your physician is considering a Strep infection and a throat culture has been taken. Please do not send your child to school until the results are known. If the results are positive, your child must receive at least 24 hours of the antibiotic before returning to school.
When your child/children have been diagnosed with an infection (e.g. pneumonia, bronchitis, strep) and your doctor prescribes an antibiotic, they must receive at least 24 hours of the antibiotic before returning to school.
If your child/children has red eyes and eye drainage in the morning or complain of one or both eyes itching and/or feeling sore, please keep them home and consult with your physician. If eye medication is prescribed, he/she must receive at least 24 hours of the medication before they return to school.
REMEMBER TO TEACH your child that good hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of disease. Hand washing reduces the spread of disease both to and from the student.
NYSDOH releases revised FAQs for schools (September 8, 2022)
The New York State Department of Health released revised frequently asked questions for schools.
Governor Hochul updates COVID guidance for schools (August 22, 2022)
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced updated COVID-19 guidance that aligns with new CDC recommendations. This includes a joint DOH-SED letter, FAQs for schools, and FAQs for families.
Symptoms & Testing
What are the symptoms and complications that COVID-19 can cause?
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. 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
This list does not include all possible symptoms. CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19.
2022-2023 Immunization Requirements
The New York State Department of Health has updated immunization requirements for public school children. Download the complete list of the new state immunization requirements (pdf)
Emergency Information Card
As the school year progresses, the Health Offices face a serious problem in the form of changes in Emergency Card information that are not updated by the parent or guardian. Changes in employment, home phone numbers and addresses, and other persons authorized to give care and provide transportation are vital pieces of information that need to be kept current. If a serious accident or illness occurs and the necessary information is not on hand to inform you of a problem in a timely manner, we will provide emergency care to the best of our ability after we have consulted with the administration. A phone call or note from you helps the Health Office meet the unexpected needs of your child.
The parent is always notified first when a student:
- has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher
- develops a rash of undetermined origin
- is suspected of having conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- shows evidence of head lice
- is suspected of having scabies
- is seriously injured or demonstrates abnormal behavior or symptoms
Conditions 1-5 listed above, which are potentially contagious to other children, are a basis for exclusion from school. A child so infected will be isolated and sent home as soon as possible. The child will not be sent home on a bus. Transportation arrangements will be made with the parent.
Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Information
Influenza, or the ‘flu’, is a severe respiratory illness that is easily spread and can lead to severe complications, even death. To protect your child from getting the flu, the NYS Department of Health says:
- Get the seasonal flu vaccine for yourself.
- Encourage your child’s close contacts to get seasonal flu vaccine, too. This is very important if your child is younger than 5 or if he or she has a chronic health problem such as asthma (breathing disease) or diabetes (high blood sugar levels). Children under 6 months can’t be vaccinated and so need to rely on those around them being vaccinated.
- Wash your hands often and cover your coughs and sneezes. Its best to use a tissue and quickly throw it away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands. This will prevent the spread of germs.
- Tell your children to:
- Stay away from people who are sick;
- Clean their hands often;
- Keep their hands away from their face, and
- Cover coughs and sneezes to protect others.
Download the Seasonal Flu Guide for Parents from the NYS Department of Health in a format of preference:
What Everyone Should Know about the Seasonal Flu (NYSDOH website)
Medical Appointments
Please inform your child and your child’s teacher if you will be picking up the child for a medical appointment. If your child has a dental appointment, please do not bring him or her back to school until the Novocain has worn off.
Physicals
New York State Education law requires that a medical exam be done for all students in grades Kindergarten, first (1st), third (3rd), fifth (5th), seventh (7th), ninth (9th) and eleventh (11th) and a health certificate be presented to the district. The Averill Park School District does provide this service by the nurse practitioners during the school year; however many parents prefer to have their own physician do the exam. A private physician provides the extra benefit of not only consulting with the parent on the child’s growth and development, but also can provide the needed immunizations and follow-up care. A health certificate must be based on an examination completed within the past 12 months. If a health certificate is not provided within 30 days of the start of school, the district’s director of health services must arrange for a health examination consistent with the requirements of Commissioner’s Regulations section 136.3.
Rules for Medication
The School Nurse is frequently asked to give internal medication such as over the counter medications or prescription drugs to children during school. Our Health Services Program functions under New York State Education law. To comply with the law, special procedures established by the State are required if a child is to receive medication during school:
The medication must be delivered directly to the School Nurse by the parent or parent’s designee.
The School Nurse must have a written request on file from the family physician indicating the frequency and dosage of prescribed medication. The prescription bottle label is NOT sufficient.
The School Nurse must also have a written request from the parents on file to administer the medication as specified by the family physician.
These regulations are developed for the protection of all pupils as well as school personnel, and it is hoped that parents will recognize their need and importance in spite of the inconveniences these procedures may cause.
Smoking
The Board of Education has declared the Averill Park Central School District to be “Drug Free.” No smoking is permitted, at any time, within school buildings or on school property.