East Longmeadow High School
School Nurse
Tia Mazza
tia.mazza@eastlongmeadowma.gov
Please complete and return the attached form to your school nurse by the end of the first week of school. Please be sure to complete both sides!
If your student takes medications and they need to be given while your student is in school, please contact your student's doctor to obtain an order for the 25-26 school year.
This order can be emailed to your school nurse.
Please complete the attached parental authorization form and return it to your school nurse.
If your student takes medication in a pill form, please be sure the medication is in its original container from the pharmacy and a second empty prescription bottle to send on field trips throughout the year.
All medications are to be picked up at the close of the school year or they must be discarded. You can coordinate a time to pick these medications up with Mrs. Mazza.
Health Screenings will be performed the week of April 28th-May 2nd for 9th graders. These screenings will include height and weight, vision, hearing, postural and SBIRT which will be discussed in detail!
If you wish to opt your student out of height and weight, vision, hearing and postural screenings, please complete the attached Opt-Out Form!
If your student wears glasses or contacts, please be sure they bring them with them when screened for vision.
SBIRT screening stands for Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment. It's an evidence-based approach used in healthcare settings to identify individuals at risk for problematic alcohol and other drug (substance) use, and to provide appropriate interventions to reduce harm and promote healthier behaviors.
Your student will be interviewed by a school nurse and asked questions about drug and alcohol use. This is a mandatory screening for students in high school by the state of Massachusetts. Students in 9th grade will be screened along with the above-mentioned screenings. You can opt your student out of this screening by completing the attached SBIRT Opt-Out Form.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that affects brain function. Effects are often short-term and can include headaches and trouble with concentration, memory, balance, mood, and sleep.
Concussions usually are caused by an impact to the head or body that is associated with a change in brain function. Not everyone who experiences a blow to the body or head has a concussion.
Some concussions cause the person to lose consciousness, but most do not.
Falls are the most common cause of concussions. Concussions also are common among athletes who play a contact sport. Most people recover fully after a concussion.
What you need to know if your student may have a concussion
The symptoms of a concussion can be subtle and may not occur right away. Symptoms can last for days, weeks or even longer.
Common symptoms after a mild traumatic brain injury are headache, confusion and loss of memory, known as amnesia. The amnesia usually involves forgetting the event that caused the concussion.
Physical symptoms of a concussion may include:
Headache.
Ringing in the ears.
Nausea.
Vomiting.
Fatigue or drowsiness.
Blurry vision.
Other symptoms of a concussion include:
Confusion or feeling as if in a fog.
Amnesia surrounding the event.
Dizziness or "seeing stars."
A witness may observe these symptoms in the person with a concussion:
Temporary loss of consciousness, though this doesn't always occur.
Slurred speech.
Delayed response to questions.
Dazed appearance.
Forgetfulness, such as asking the same question over and over.
Some symptoms of a concussion occur right away. But sometimes symptoms may not occur for days after the injury, such as:
Trouble with concentration and memory.
Irritability and other personality changes.
Sensitivity to light and noise.
Trouble with sleep.
Feeling emotional or depressed.
Changes in taste and smell.
East Longmeadow Public Schools strives to provide a safe return to activity for all athletes after injury, particularly after concussion. In order to effectively and consistently manage these injuries, procedures have been developed to aid in ensuring that concussed athletes are identified, removed from activity, treated and referred appropriately, receive appropriate follow-up care during the school day, including academic assistance, and are fully recovered prior to returning to activity.
A doctor's note is required in order for your student to be cleared to return to sports or physical education. No student will be able to participate in either activity until written clearance from a physician is submitted to the school nurse.
In order for your student to be eligible to play sports for East Longmeadow High School, your student must provide a physical exam to Kevin McGee (Athletic Director) or Diane Savacool (Athletic Trainer) and the physical must have been done within 13 months. If your student does not have a physical within 13 months, your student will not be eligible to participate in any sport offered by East Longmeadow Public Schools.
Urgent Care facilities offer physicals for student-athletes for a small fee if you find out the physical is outdated and you need to have a physical done promptly!
This is where it gets interesting! Menactra is the only vaccine that is not a straight forward requirement to understand. The first dose of Menactra is administered in grades 7th or 8th. The second dose must be administered AFTER your student's 16th birthday. Talk with your student's doctor to be sure there is a plan to vaccinate your student as they approach their 16th birthday to avoid multiple visits to their pediatrician.
Per Massachusetts state regulation, all students in grade 11 are required to have a physical exam and this needs to be submitted to your school nurse. Your student's physician can fax or email the exam to your school nurse or can complete the attached form for physical eaxms. If you have any questions you can reach out to your school nurse.