LMS Health Office
Katie McGuire BSN RN NCSN
978-582-4710 x 2119
kmcguire@lunenburgschools.net
Fax (978) 582-4153
Follow prompts for LMS Attendance Line (978) 582-4710
Fax (978) 582-4153
Follow prompts for LMS Attendance Line (978) 582-4710
Schools are required by Massachusetts General Law (M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 57 and 105 CMR 200.000) to provide vision, hearing, body mass index (BMI), postural, and Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) health screenings to all students.
Grade 7
The following screenings will be conducted for 7th grade students: vision, hearing, height, and weight, postural and SBIRT. Grade 7 students are required to submit an updated physical form to the school nurse. Please ensure documentation of a scoliosis screen done by their own physician is included.
Grades 6 and 8
Students in grades 6 and 8 will be screened for scoliosis.
Parents/guardians will be notified if a referral is necessary. Included in this notification will be a request for a report from your health care provider of their findings so that the nurses are aware of any problems which may interfere with learning and can accommodate any needs that are identified.
If your child is receiving treatment for a vision, hearing, or postural concern, please provide your school nurse with current medical documentation of his/her condition.
*All Parents/Guardians have the right to opt their child out of any of the screenings by submitting a written request. Please submit your opt out request with the name of the student and screenings to Katie McGuire at kmcguire@lunenburgschools.net
On March 22,2024, DPH updated their guidance for management of respiratory illnesses Staying home to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses | Mass.gov to align with those previously released by the CDC on updated recommendations for respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. This new guidance is for respiratory viruses like Influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 as they share similar transmission methods, symptoms, and prevention strategies. This unified approach aims to simplify recommendations and address common risks more effectively.
Effective 3/29/24, Lunenburg Public Schools has transitioned to new Respiratory Virus Guidelines that follow both CDC and MA DPH guidance.
The new CDC guidance for respiratory virus:
Stay home and away from others if you have any respiratory virus symptoms. These symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, among others.
Return to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication)
When you go back to your normal activities, take added precaution over the next 5 days, such as taking additional steps for cleaner air, hygiene, masks, physical distancing, and/or testing when you will be around other people indoors.
Keep in mind that you may still be able to spread the virus that made you sick, even if you are feeling better. You are likely to be less contagious at this time, depending on factors like how long you were sick or how sick you were.
In addition to CDC’s Respiratory Virus Guidance, there are several special considerations for people with certain risk factors for severe illness, including older adults, young children, people with weakened immune systems, people with disabilities, and pregnant people.
CDC recommends that all people use core prevention strategies. These are important steps you can take to protect yourself and others:
Stay up to date with immunizations. Get vaccinated for flu and COVID-19
Practice good hand and respiratory hygiene
Stay home when you may have a respiratory virus:
Seek health care promptly for testing and/or treatment if you have risk factors for severe illness; treatment may help lower your risk of severe illness
Wear Masks around others
Avoid crowded areas and maintain Physical distancing
Get Tested for flu and COVID-19 so you can get treated
Updated 3/29/24
Bright Eyed is a wonderful community service that supports students at school. The mission is to provide food kits to local students in need every Friday, offering support for the weekend when school meals are not available. Bright Eyed, Inc. provides children with non-perishable food items to take home with them for the weekend. The food kits include items such as juice boxes, oatmeal, cereal, apple sauce, fruit cups, canned ravioli, soup, macaroni and cheese, pudding cups, fruit snacks, granola bars, crackers, goldfish, and cookies. The food kits are discreetly given to the children each week to take home in their backpacks and will continue throughout the school year. All children deserve to have access to the necessities that will help them grow and develop. In addition, hygiene kits including age appropriate items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, soap, shampoo/conditioner, and other personal care items are distributed two to four times per year.
To enroll in the Bright Eyed program, please download, print, fill out, sign and return the two documents. The documents can either be delivered to the school nurse or mailed to the Bright Eyed mailing address at 945 Massachusetts Avenue, Unit 124, Lunenburg, MA 01462
The district has partnered with Care Solace. This service is to assist with mental health needs of staff, students, and families. Every person deserves access to mental health care. Care Solace navigates the mental health care system to find available providers matched to specific needs - so you don't have to. Please reach out to your school’s nurse, guidance counselor or social worker for additional information.