Health Services

The Health Services Office serves both Fort Fairfield Elementary and Fort Fairfield Middle High School. Our team consists of two full-time registered nurses. Our goal is to provide support services to students by caring for their health-related concerns during the school day. This includes the provision of first-aid for injuries, care for students who become ill during the school day, and creation and implementation of Individualized Health Care Plans as necessary. 

Immunization Guidelines & Information:

All students must meet Maine state immunization requirements in order to attend school. Students entering Pre-K must show proof of the following immunizations: 4 DTaP, 3 Polio, 1 MMR, and 1 Varicella.  Students entering Kindergarten must show proof of the following immunizations: 4 DTaP, 4 Polio, 2 MMR, and 2 Varicella.  All students entering 7th grade need to have had their previously required vaccines as well as 1 Tdap and 1 Meningococcal (MCV4) Vaccine. All students entering 12th grade will need to have had all previously required vaccines and a second Meningococcal (MCV4) Vaccine. If your child was in need of immunization updates, you should have received a letter from the school nurse’s office outlining what was needed.  It is very important that the above immunization requirements are met prior to the first day of school.  You will receive correspondence from the school nurse’s office if these requirements are not met with next steps.  Students can be unenrolled at the discretion of the Superintendent if they are not in compliance with school required immunizations.  The only exception to this requirement is a Medical Exemption.  Religious or Philosophical exemptions are only allowed for students with an IEP and an exemption in place prior to September 1, 2021. For more information please refer to the following website: Immunization Requirements for School Children.  

 

Caring for Students with Health Conditions:

It is important for your child’s school health office to be able to identify students who may have a life threatening condition including but not limited to severe allergies, asthma, seizures, and diabetes. If your child has a health condition that could impact them at school, it is imperative that we are prepared to help manage their health condition while they are at school. Please ensure that you provide the school nurse with current provider orders, action plans, medications and medication orders, guidelines, etc.  Please make sure all current health conditions, allergies and medications are listed on the Annual Health Survey. This information will need to be updated yearly.

 

Medication at School:

If your child must receive medication during school hours, you will need to provide the school with a signed physician's order for the medication along with your signed consent and a one month supply of the medication in the original labeled prescription bottle. At times, trained unlicensed school personnel may administer the medication if the nurse is unavailable. It is the parents responsibility to transport the medication to school and pick it up if no longer needed. Please note that, per school policy, students are not permitted to carry or transport medication (prescription or over the counter) while at school. 

 

Each year, the school physician provides a set of standing orders for over the counter medication administration at school.  Parents must indicate which over the counter medications they give permission for the school nurse to administer via the Annual Health Survey yearly.  Emergency medications such as Epinephrine and Narcan can be given without parental consent as needed in a life threatening situation to any student per school policy (unless contraindicated).

 

Students with asthma and severe allergies are permitted to self carry and self administer inhalers and epi-pens with physician and parental consent after demonstrating and/or verbalizing proper use. A Medication During School form must be signed by the provider and parent. Asthmatic students or students with severe allergies should have a backup inhaler and/or epi-pen kept at school in the clinic in case your child ever forgets or loses their emergency medication. All medication must be picked up by a parent/guardian at the end of the school year. Medication not picked up by the end of the school year will be disposed of accordingly.

 

Illness & Injury Guidance:

If your child becomes ill or injured during the school day, the school nurse will conduct an assessment, provide intervention as appropriate then determine disposition (return to class, send home, advise follow up care or visit with PCP/Urgent Care/ER).  The school nurse will call you if your child needs to be picked up from school and may provide recommendations based on assessment.  Please be sure that the school has all current phone numbers for you and your designated emergency contacts. Below, you will see basic guidance on illness and school attendance.  When in doubt, do not hesitate to reach out to your school nurse’s office with any questions or concerns.

When does my child need to stay home? In general, children stay home when they have, or have had a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea in the last 24 hours.

When can my child return to school after illness? There are different guidelines depending on the illness, so please call your school nurse for specifics. For most common illnesses, your child should stay home until symptoms are improved, your child feels well and has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-suppressing medications. Fever is a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.  

 

Sports Physical:

All students who participate in school sports will need a sports physical providing clearance for participation. Sports physicals are valid for 2 years.  It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to ensure that your child has a current sports physical on file in order to allow for participation in school sports.

 

Annual School Screenings: Vision, Hearing, Dental

During the school year, vision screenings will be administered to students in grades Pre-K, K, 1, 3, 5, 7 & 9 and as needed upon request. Hearing screenings will be administered to students in grades Pre-K, K, 1, 3, & 5 and as needed upon request if there is a concern. ACAP continues to partner with the school to provide dental screening in addition to fluoride and sealant application with parent permission.  You may receive correspondence from the school health office after these screenings have been conducted if there are recommendations for follow up care.

Partner with us to Promote Healthy Habits:

Healthy students learn better and help keep everyone else here at school safe and healthy, including immunocompromised individuals. Please consider this when sending your child to school everyday. Be sure your student gets plenty of sleep each night and has regular meal times each day. Encourage healthy eating and limit junk food and sugary drinks. Send your child to school with water and snacks, and encourage regular exercise. Avoid exposing your child to secondhand smoke. Teach your child to practice healthy hygiene and habits including: shower/bathe daily, brush teeth twice daily, frequent handwashing/sanitizing to prevent the spread of germs.  Students must be healthy to be educated and educated to be healthy.

 

If at any time you have questions or would like to update the school nurses on changes in your child's health, please do not hesitate to reach out by phone or email.