School Health Services
New York State requires health care providers to use a new health examination form for annual physicals. Local providers should have the current form, or you can find it here:
New York State Health Form (fillable)
The school nurse in each district building provides first aid emergency care during illness and/or accidents that occur while students are under school supervision.
It is important that parents accurately complete and return the emergency information sent home each September as soon as possible. This information includes the name of the person(s) who will serve as an emergency contact. If a parent or guardian cannot be reached in an emergency, the school physician, family physician, or an ambulance will be called.
Click here for the New York State Center for School Health website.
Medication
The Nurse Practice Act and state education laws prohibit school nurses and other district personnel from dispensing medications such as ibuprofen, cold tablets, cough drops, essential oils, etc. In circumstances when a child must take medication during school hours, the school nurse may dispense the medication if the parents and the child's doctor have completed and filed a special form called "The Physician's Order for Giving Medication in School." This form is available in physicians’ offices, or they may be picked up in the school health office before going to visit the doctor.
If your child needs to take medication during school hours, we require:
- A responsible adult (other than the student) must deliver the medication to the health office in the original container clearly indicating name, date, physician, dosage, and frequency.
- The doctor must complete the pink medication form or equivalent form for administration of medicine in school.
- A parent/guardian signature must also appear on the pink form. In addition, parents should notify their child's school nurse of any medications that are administered at home. This information will be recorded in the student's school health records and will provide important information in the event of an emergency or illness.
In addition, parents should notify their child's school nurse of any medications that are administered at home. This information will be recorded in the student's school health records and will provide important information in the event of an emergency or illness.
Immunizations
New York State Public Health Law requires all children entering school to be vaccinated.
Click here to see the immunizations required by the New York State Department of Health:
Please Note: In June 2019, New York State amended Public Health Law Section 2164 abolishing the exemption from vaccinations due to religious beliefs for school attendance. This means that there are no longer religious exemptions for the requirement that children be vaccinated against measles and other diseases to attend either public, private, or parochial school, including summer school, or child day care settings.
Parents of children uninsured or under-insured may have their children immunized at the Chemung County Health Department in Elmira. Call (607)737-2028 for an appointment.
Annual Physicals
New York State now requires that all public school students must have a physical when they enter grades pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and of all athletes and new students entering the district. Physicals completed within the 12-month period preceding any given school year are acceptable.
If a student is seen by a private physician in New York State, the doctor's report should be submitted to the school within 30 days of entrance. If no report is filed, a school appraisal will be scheduled for the students in grades listed above.
Please note: An appraisal is not the same as a full physical by your private physician. School appraisals are intended for school use only and are not intended to replace the continuity of care provided by your private physician. Additionally, we can no longer accept out-of-state physicals.
The state requires all schools to request dental health certificates from parents at the same time we require a health certificate (grades Pre-K, K, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11). For more information, contact your school nurse.
Health Screenings
All students are screened according to state mandates. If the results of any screening indicate that the child requires further follow-up, the parent will receive written notification:
- Height, weight, and blood pressure in grades Pre-K or K, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11
- Vision in grades Pre-K or K, 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, and new students
- Hearing in grades Pre-K or K, 1, 3, 5, 7, 11, and new students
- Scoliosis: Girls - grades 5, 7; Boys - grades 9
Infectious Diseases
When your child has an infectious disease, please notify the school nurse so that we can be aware of your child’s health and protect the health of all children in the school. Diseases or conditions the nurse should know about include chicken pox, strep throat, lice, flu, diarrhea, whooping cough, hepatitis, mononucleosis, scabies, tuberculosis, or any other infectious disease.
EpiPen®
The school physician has approved a standing order for EpiPen®, allowing nursing staff to administer it to a student who exhibits symptoms of anaphylaxis, a sudden, severe allergic reaction. It is intended as an emergency intervention in a life-threatening situation, such as when a student with no history of allergies experiences a first anaphylactic reaction. If your child is prescribed an EpiPen®, please provide one to your school nurse.
For more information on school health services, please contact your school nurse.
School Nurses:
| Kelli Breslin, Registered Nurse | Big Flats | |
| Ramona McPherson, Licensed Practical Nurse | Big Flats | |
| Lisa Picard, Licensed Practical Nurse | Big Flats | |
| Desra Clemons, 1:1 Licensed Practical Nurse | Big Flats | |
| Nicole Strong, Registered Nurse | Center Street | |
| Megan Dorsey-Dodge, Licensed Practical Nurse | Center Street | |
| Alexis Starkweather, Licensed Practical Nurse | Center Street | |
| Jesse Tremblay, Licensed Practical Nurse | Center Street | |
| Barbara Hinman, Registered Nurse | Gardner Road | |
| Tammy Klein, Licensed Practical Nurse | Gardner Road | |
| Carrie Tournour, Registered Nurse | High School | |
| Vickie White, Registered Nurse | High School | |
| Kristen Raniewicz, Nurse Practitioner | High School | |
| Kayla Bastinelli, Licensed Practical Nurse | High School | |
| Erica Darmstadt, Registered Nurse | Intermediate School | |
| Darcy Pellicano, Licensed Practical Nurse | Intermediate School | |
| Maureen Frisbie, 1:1 Registered Nurse | Intermediate School | |
| Annette Cobb, Registered Nurse | Middle School | |
| Nicole Jackson, Licensed Practical Nurse | Middle School | |
| Karena Bifano, Registered Nurse | Ridge Road | |
| Justine Goodwin, Licensed Practical Nurse | Ridge Road | |
| Michelle Procopio*, Registered Nurse | Student Services | |