Riverdale Public School 

Welcome Packet

“School nursing, as a specialty branch of professional nursing: (1) seeks to prevent or identify client health or health-related problems and (2) intervenes to modify or remediate these problems.  These purposes are accomplished through the provision of facilitation of health services and health education in the school.  In doing so school nursing contributes directly to the student’s education, as well as to the health of the family and the community.” (School Nursing Practice: Roles and Standards)

Family Care Flyer

Student Health Packet

Emergency Services

In the event of an emergency, in school, local emergency services will be immediately notified.  The student’s parent /guardian will also be immediately notified.  Your child will then be transported, via ambulance, to the nearest appropriate facility as determined by the paramedic/first aid squad.

Riverdale School has an Automatic External Defibrillator on site. The school nurse and designated staff are certified in its use.

It is crucial that you keep the contact information on your child’s emergency card up to date.

Health Services

• Hearing, vision, blood pressure, height and weight screenings are performed annually on each student.
• Scoliosis screenings are performed annually on students in Grades 5-8.
• Please notify the health office with the results of any referral you may have received regarding these screening.
• Our school dentist performs dental screenings, if desired, on each student annually.

Physicals

Letter--Physicals and Sports Physical Form

• Physicals are required upon entrance into Riverdale School – as a Pre-K or Kindergarten student.
• Students entering Riverdale School from a school that is not in New Jersey would also need a physical upon entrance into Riverdale School.
• Any student in Grades 6, 7 & 8 who wish to participate in either our basketball, softball or baseball program must have a physical on file in the health office prior to trying out.  The form found on the link “Health Office Form” is the ONLY acceptable physical form to by utilized for participation in sports.
• Our school doctor is available to perform sport’s physicals - information to be forth coming.

 Medications

• Any prescription medication that needs to be administered in school must be accompanied by a signed doctor’s note, a parent note and arrive in the original labeled container.
• Over-the-counter medication must be accompanied by a parent note, arrive in the original labeled container and the instructions signed by a physician.
• It is recommended that all medication be brought to and from school by the student’s parent/guardian.
• Our school physician permits the school nurse to administer Tylenol to students who have written permission from their parents to do so.
• As per state regulations and school policy all medication administered in school must be administered by a registered nurse or the respective child’s parent.  This includes over-the-counter medication as well as prescription medicine.  The only exception to this rule are those students who have met the criteria to self- administer their own inhalers or Epi-pens.  Every effort will be made to secure a substitute school nurse on those field trips where medication is necessary to be administered.  In lack of a registered nurse, we will ask the parents to attend the trip.
• Medication forms may be found under the link:” Health Office Forms”

 Annual Health Updates

• Any student diagnosed with any chronic illness such as: asthma, diabetes, food or insect allergies, etc.  will have their medical plan and individual health plan updated annually.

 Communicable diseases

• Children MUST be fever-free for 24 hours before retuning to school (without use of Tylenol, Motrin, etc.).
• Children MUST be symptom-free (vomiting/diarrhea) for 24 hours before returning to school.
• Children with Strep throat must be on antibiotics fro 24 hrs before returning to school.
• If your child exhibits a rash of undetermined origin, please consult your physician before sending the child to school.
• Students who present with “pink eye” need to be evaluated as well by their physician prior to being sent school.

Immunization Update

• Students entering Grade 6 in September must have verification of a current DPT booster and a meningococcal vaccine.
• Students entering Pre-K must have evidence of a pneumococcal vaccine and verification of an annual influenza vaccine.

 Health Office Visits

• A log of your child’s health office visits is kept and updated daily. If you wish to view this log, please contact Mrs. Rapone and a copy will be forwarded.

 NJ Family Care

• NJ Family Care Applications are available in the health office.