Greetings from the school health room!
Your school health room services include:
- Care of sick (outside of COVID like illness) and injured students according to the FCPS School Health Emergency COVID Temporary Care Guidelines.
- Administration of medication provided by parents/guardians with proper authorization forms completed by their health care provider.
- Coordination of care for students with chronic health conditions.
- Hearing and vision screenings for grades K, 3, 7, 10, new to Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and those students referred by teachers and parents/guardians.
Parent Responsibility:
- Keep your student home when they are sick.
- Advise the School Health Aide or the Public Health Nurse of any special health concerns.
- Immediately notify the physical education (PE) teacher if your child has any activity restrictions.
- Provide current home, work, and alternate telephone numbers.
- For medications that must be administered during the school day, please follow the guidelines of FCPS Regulation 2102:
- Complete the FCPS Medication Authorization forms and Medication Delivery/Pick Up Form
- Provide the school with properly labeled containers.
- Medications must be transported to and from school by a parent/guardian; except with parent/guardian approval for a high school student to carry over-the-counter (OTC) medications to and from the school health room.
- Medications must be kept in the school health room or other approved location unless approved for the student to carry it. If a student carries his or her own medication, a backup may be kept in the school health room.
- OTC medications may be given up to ten consecutive school days with the parent’s or guardian’s signature on the FCPS Medication Authorization form before a physician’s authorization is required.
- OTC pain relievers for headaches, menstrual cramps, orthodontic pain or muscle aches may be given as needed throughout the school year with only the parent’s or guardian’s signature on part I of the FCPS Medication Authorization form.
- Cough drops and throat lozenges may be carried and used by students in kindergarten through 12th grade as needed provided they are in the original packaging. Students must not share cough drops or throat lozenges under any circumstances.
This school year, please note some changes in our medication protocols to help ensure the safety of our medication administration management in Fairfax County Public Schools. These changes include:
- Any time you drop off or pick up a medication in the health room, a Medication Delivery/Pick Up Form will be completed and signed by both the parent/guardian and the School Health Aide or FCPS staff member. This form will document that all required authorizations are complete, and the number of pills or amount of medication accepted/returned. A copy of the form will be given to the parent/guardian and school administrator.
- All medications must be in the original pharmacy container. Over the counter (OTC) medications must be in an unopened original container. It will no longer be acceptable for parents/guardians to bring in refills from home and place them into the container currently in the health room.
- Only a 30-day supply of medications should be brought to school. No more than 100 tablets or pills of OTC medication should be brought to school.
All requirements outlined in FCPS Regulation 2102, First Aid, Emergency Treatment and Administration of Medication for Students, continue to apply.
Also starting school year 2022-23:
The Virginia Asthma Action Plan template developed by the Virginia Asthma Coalition and adopted by the Virginia Department of Education will be used to guide the care your student receives and serve as the health care provider orders. Link: VA Asthma Action Plan
If your student has a rescue asthma medication prescribed, please have this form completed by your student’s health care provider and bring in your student’s own rescue medication to the school health room. The health care provider must be licensed to prescribe medication in the U.S.
Additionally,
- The prescriber must complete the yellow and red zone (Peak Flow is optional).
- If asthma medication is to be given prior to exercise, this must be checked off in the appropriate box above the Yellow Zone on the form.
- If the prescriber approves your student to carry and administer the medication, the appropriate box above where the prescriber signs must be checked.
- Parent/guardian must also sign this document.
Once your health care provider has completed the Virginia Asthma Action Plan, you will need to complete the FCPS Authorization for VA Asthma Action Plan (SS/SE-65) on the school website authorizing the principal designee/SHA/PHN/school staff to administer the asthma medication to your student. Links:
FCPS Authorization for VA Asthma Plan
FCPS Authorization for VA Asthma Plan-Spanish
FCPS Authorization for VA Asthma Plan-Farsi
FCPS Authorization for VA Asthma Plan-Chinese
To mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at school, FCPS has developed the Health and Safety Guidance Document for 2021-22 | Fairfax County Public Schools (fcps.edu). These guidelines will be updated to follow the most current CDC guidance on COVID mitigation. Please review the guidelines periodically to stay up to date. Any questions should be directed to school administration. Vaccines are safe, effective, available, free and an important strategy in fighting COVID. To make an appointment for your student, visit the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS).
Thank you for your cooperation in helping to make this a safe and healthy school year. If you have any questions, please feel free to call either the School Health Aide, Maria Gonzalez, at 703.575.6810 or Public Health Nurse, Cindy McKee, RN, at 703.575.6810.
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