Health Services

District Nurse Leader, Lauren Pushard, RN 

781-821-5060 ext 1113

District Resource Nurse, Irene Keefe, RN

781-821-5060 ext 1174

RN Case Manager, Christine Chalvire, RN

781-821-5060 ext 1176

Canton High School

(781) 821-5080 

x2110

Christine Trendell, RN

Maureen Campbell, RN

Elevator

The elevator is available exclusively for students with a physical disability or injury. The school nurse will meet with the students to discuss guidelines for use of the elevator and to issue an elevator pass if necessary. Any student using an elevator without permission will be subject to disciplinary action.

Field Trips

The school nurse will work with parents/guardians and Student Services staff to ensure that students with special health care needs or medications are able to attend field trips.  Any student self-administering medication on field trips must have signed permission from a parent/guardian and be signed off by their physician and school nurse for competency. School nurses can assist with this process. At the beginning of the school year, any student with a diagnosis requiring medication will need to have the medication and doctor’s orders on hand in the Health Office and available for field trips. EpiPens will be delegated by the school nurse to trained staff on field trips.  If parents/guardians cannot afford the cost of any field trip, please see the principal for financial assistance. No student will be excluded from a field trip due to financial reasons.

Emergency Contact Information  

Parents/guardians are asked to provide emergency contact information to their student’s school. Please be aware that this information is critical to the school nurse being able to reach you in an emergency. Please list all correct cell phone and office numbers where you can be reached. When listing alternate emergency contacts, list only those people that live close to Canton and have access to transportation. Students that are dismissed from school due to illness or injury must be picked up in a timely manner. Please update contact information with the main office as needed. Children who require emergency care will be transported by ambulance to the nearest hospital for treatment.

Illness Requiring Absence from School

Upon return from any absence, students must provide a note describing the reason for the absence.  If your child is out of school for five days or more you should  notify the school nurse.  Any school absence for five or more consecutive days requires a note from a health care provider which should be presented to the school nurse before the student returns to school.  Without medical documentation these are considered unexcused absences. When you call the absentee line of your school, please specify the nature of the illness. Here are some guidelines to follow:

Communicable Disease Guidelines

Any concern or diagnosis of a communicable disease, please notify the school nurse, immediately.  The school nurse will assist with the procedures needed, regarding the return to school policies.

Recommended Minimum Absence From School

• Covid-19: From diagnosis until 24 hours fever-free with no medication and symptoms mostly resolved.

• Flu: From diagnosis until 24 hours fever-free with no medication and symptoms mostly resolved.

• Chicken Pox: From first eruption until lesions are crusted over, child is fever-free for 24 hours, and until a doctor’s note is provided for re-entry.

• Streptococcal Infections (“Strep Throat”, “Scarlet Fever”): From diagnosis until 24 hours after first dose of medicine, fever-free for 24 hours, and until doctor’s note provided, clearing for re-entry. 

• Pneumonia: From diagnosis until doctor's note provided for re-entry, and fever-free for 24 hours.

• Impetigo: From diagnosis until 24 hours after medical treatment has begun, lesions must be covered in school, and until doctor’s note provided, clearing for re-entry.

• Ringworm: From diagnosis until 24 - 48 hours after first treatment and until doctor's note provided, clearing for re-entry.  

• Scabies: From diagnosis until 24 - 48 hours after first treatment and doctor's note provided, clearing for re-entry.

• Conjunctivitis: From diagnosis until 24 - 48 hours after the first dose of medicine, no eye drainage evident, and doctor's note provided, clearing for re-entry.

• Pinworm: From diagnosis until 24 - 48 hours after treatment and doctor's note provided, clearing for re-entry.

• Head Lice: From diagnosis, until first treatment, the student must be checked by the school nurse and cleared for re-entry.

• Gastrointestinal Viruses: From the first episode of vomiting or diarrhea until 24 hours with no episodes and fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

• Hand, Foot, and Mouth (Coxsackievirus) Disease: From diagnosis until fever-free for 24 hours without medication, no uncontrolled drooling from mouth sores, and student feels well enough to participate in activities before returning to school.

Keep your child home if they:

• Have evidence of a newly developed cold (runny, stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing). The greatest period of contagion is the first 2-3 days after onset of symptoms.

• Have symptoms of a respiratory illness (such as fever, cough, or sore throat) after a known exposure to a respiratory virus, including COVID-19 or flu, and have not yet been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and with improving symptoms.

• Have an elevated temperature, over 100° (degrees) within the past 24 hours. 

• Have a rash of unknown origin, and until the student is seen by a physician.

• Have pain or discharge from eye(s) or ear(s).

• Have had an upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea within the past 24 hours.

• Have a contagious disease (i.e. strep throat, tonsillitis, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, etc.) until they have been seen and treated by a doctor with at least 24 hours of treatment, are free for 24 hours, and feel well enough to be able to participate in school activities.

If your child should develop any of these or other symptoms hindering the child’s ability to learn during school hours, the school nurse will notify you, and the child will be dismissed.