School Nurse Staff:
Richmond Middle and High School: Keziah Bowman, RN kbowman@richmondpk12.org
Marcia Buker Elementary School: Ashley DeWever, RN. adewever@richmondpk12.org
General Information
Accidents and Illnesses
Accidents, injuries, and illnesses that occur during the day at school will be taken care of in the nurse’s office by the school nurse or other school personnel. In the event of injury or illness that merits school dismissal, school personnel will call the names listed by you in Infinite Campus and on the green emergency contact form collected at MBES. Every attempt will be made to contact the parent/guardian before calling other numbers listed. Students should check in with the school nurse before being dismissed for medical reasons.
In emergencies, we will contact 911 first and then the parent/guardian.
When to keep your child home from school
Any child with a temperature of 100.4 or above must stay home until at least 24 hours fever-free without any fever reducing medication. Children should also stay home for 24 hours after vomiting. If a child has symptoms that will prevent them from learning and participating fully in the classroom, please keep them home.
Communicable/Infectious Diseases
We will follow the RSD policy JLCC - Communicable-Infections Diseases in responding to communicable/infectious disease.
Dietary Restrictions
If your child has dietary restrictions and needs a special diet from the school cafeteria such as dairy-free or gluten-free, the school requires a doctor’s letter to make such accommodations.
Head Lice
If your child has an itchy head, he or she will be checked by the school nurse. If lice are found, the nurse will contact you and discuss a plan of treatment. Per the Maine DOE guidelines, children will not be excluded from school for nits.
Hearing and Vision Tests
Hearing and vision screening tests are performed annually by the school nurse per Maine DOE guidelines. Parents are notified of any concerns. These tests are for screening purposes only and do not take the place of a professional hearing or vision exam by a doctor.
Immunizations
Maine law requires that all students be fully immunized against polio, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, rubella, mumps, and varicella before entering school. Entry to 7th grade requires a Tdap vaccine and a meningitis vaccine, and entry to 12th grade requires a 2nd meningitis dose. Per state law, students may be unenrolled if vaccine requirements are not met. Exceptions due to medical reasons may be allowed. Contact the school nurse for further information if you have any questions or check out Maine Department of Education Immunization Requirements.
Medical Conditions
It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to notify the school nurse of any medical conditions concerning your child, such as current or chronic illnesses, allergies, medications, or physical disabilities. If a student has a potentially life-threatening medical condition such as severe allergy, seizure disorder, cardiac condition, or diabetes, the school nurse will share the pertinent medical information and provide emergency response training with appropriate school and bus staff. When a student with a life threatening condition goes on a school-sponsored trip during the school day, the school nurse may accompany or may designate and train a staff person to provide routine and emergency care as needed. The student’s parent or guardian may also participate in the outing to provide care.
Medications
Whenever possible, medications should be given to students under parents’ direction outside of school hours. For a student to take medication at school, a physician’s order must be on file as well as the “RSD Medication Permission Form” signed by the parent/guardian. Over-the-counter medication may be administered per the school’s standing orders and with parent permission. All medications must be in their original containers and labeled with the student’s name.
Sports
To participate in co-curricular sports at the middle or high school level, students must submit proof of insurance and a physical examination indicating no restrictions that is less than 2 years old.
Peanut-free Zones
A peanut allergy can be life-threatening for some individuals. Whenever there are individuals in the elementary school with a peanut allergy, we will enforce peanut-free zones in the classroom and in an area of the cafeteria. The school nurse will communicate with families who will be affected by a peanut-free classroom. At the middle/high school level, students shall advocate for themselves by asking if food may contain allergens. The school shall notify students if allergens are present in food being served at the cafeteria or school-sponsored events that occur during the school day.