Message from school nurse

Message from the School Nurse

See the guidance below from the Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines to control the spread of these respiratory diseases that include COVID-19: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/staying-home-to-prevent-the-spread-of-respiratory-viruses.

Sick Day Rules Reminder (including COVID-19):

If your student tests positive for COVID-19, it is recommended that they wear a mask for five days once they return to school/community activities. (See the chart below)

If your student comes to school with any of the symptoms in the chart below and/or is not well enough to be in school, they will be sent home by the school nurse.  Continue to use the attendance reporting form and indicate what symptoms your child is having when they are home sick. 

Illness/Injuries: Please notify the school nurse if your student has been diagnosed with a communicable disease by their pediatrician or other healthcare professional or if your child is injured especially if they are returning to school with crutches, a brace, or any other orthopedic assistive devices.  

Ninth grade and new 10th grade guardians: Send a copy of your student’s most recent physical exam to your building's school nurse as soon as possible.  It is state law that all new students need to have had a physical exam at their doctor’s office, or other approved medical facility, within the year before they started school or within 30 days of starting school.  If your student has not met this requirement please schedule a physical exam for them as soon as possible and let the nurse know that you have done so.  If you need help finding a doctor or a medical facility to get your student a physical, reach out to the nurse and we are happy to help.

Parents/Guardians: Please remember to complete the yearly REQUIRED Emergency Medical Form for your student by clicking on the link below.

Emergency Medical Form

Parents of students that are age 16+: Massachusetts requires students to receive a second dose of the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (vaccine names include Menactra,  Menveo and MenQuadfi) that protects against 4 serotypes (A, C, W and Y) of meningococcal disease when they turn 16.  Be sure to ask your child’s healthcare professional about this when they turn 16.  Below are resources with more information about meningitis and the vaccine:  Meningococcal disease and students commonly asked questions: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/public/index.html.  

Vaccination status: If your student is not vaccinated or only partially vaccinated for religious purposes the school requires a note to be on file in the health office.  This needs to be updated yearly.  Keep in mind that unvaccinated students may be excluded from school if there is an outbreak of a communicable disease in the school community. 

School Nurse Contact:

Jenna Arledge, BSN, RN

508-771-2780 x 414 / jarledge@sturgischarterschool.org