School Health - Clinic News - Mountain View Elementary School

Hello,

My name is Lorna Swingle and this is my eighteenth year at Mountain View. I have four kids who have attended PWCS. I have a background in pediatric nursing as well as newborn and NICU. I love being with the kids, and I really enjoy seeing them and joking around with them every day. Please feel free to contact me if you ever have any questions or concerns about your child's health.

The PWCS school nurse program is designed to promote child and adolescent health and reduce health-related risk behaviors. The program is comprised of school nurses, a school health services coordinator, and a medical consultant. The role of the school nurse is to support student learning which is accomplished by implementing strategies that promote student and staff health. The school nurse provides health services, health education, staff wellness, promotes physical education and activity, and promotes community involvement. The school nurse also identifies health and safety concerns in the school environment and works collaboratively with staff, students and families in addressing these concerns.

The deadline for students to meet the immunization requirement

for mandatory immunizations for public school enrollment is Thursday, August 15, 2024.

If you have questions, please contact the school nurse,

or visit the immunization requirements webpage.

Thank you for your assistance.

Immunization Requirements:

Effective July 1, 2021,

Updated requirements for students entering

Kindergarten, 7th and 12th grades.

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Please see the hyperlink below for the changes noting that

Kindergarteners will now be required to have TWO doses of the Hepatitis A vaccine.

School Requirements - Immunization (virginia.gov)

• A second dose of Varicella vaccine is required before entering kindergarten.
• A second dose of mumps vaccine is required before entering kindergarten.
• Four doses of polio vaccine are required, with one dose being administered after age four, for all children enrolling in school(K-12).
• Four doses of TdaP vaccine are required, with one dose being administered after age four, for all children enrolling in school(K-12).
* Three doses of Hep B spaced appropriately with the third dose given after 6 months of age

Parents are responsible for providing documentation that all required immunizations are up-to-date, completed, or that a medical or religious exemption has been obtained. Immunization requirements for a child to enroll or attend public school in Virginia are outlined in the Virginia Department of Health's School & Day Care Minimum Immunization Requirements.

Important Announcement for Cold and Flu Season:

As we are entering the cold and flu season, this is a reminder of the best health practices to decrease the spread and transmission of viruses in PWCS schools.

Please remember to cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw used tissues in the trash. If you don't have a tissue, cough, or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands. Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, dry hands with a paper towel, and use the paper towel to turn off the faucet. If soap and water are not available, hand sanitizers may also be used to preform hand hygiene. Remember to stay home when you’re sick until at least 24 hours without a fever or the use of fever reducing medicine. Together we can help stop the spread of germs that may make you and others ill.

School Exclusion Criteria

Please remember that according to the PWCS Regulation 758-1, children must remain home from school for at least 24 hours if they have a fever of 100.0 degrees or higher and for 24 hours after an episode of vomiting or diarrhea. If your child has strep throat, he/she must be on antibiotics for at least 24 hours before returning to school. By complying with this regulation, this will help us maintain a healthier environment for everyone at school. We want to assure you that the entire building is being cleaned by our custodial staff on a regular basis with a school approved disinfectant.

Clinic Information

Parents will be notified if child is seen frequently in the clinic with minor complaints of illness or injury that tend to be chronic and keep the student out of class.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep our children healthy. We all want to minimize the number of days that your child misses school and provide a healthy environment conducive to learning.

Links

Student Health Services - Prince William County Public Schools (pwcs.edu)

Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics
Allergy& Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) is the leading nonprofit family health organization dedicated to eliminating suffering and death due to asthma, allergies and related conditions.

Hand Washing Video
With the flu season upon us, it is important to remember to wash your hands.The attached video reminds us that it is important to wash our hands with soap and water for as long as it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice. Stay healthy!

Parent Information

Assessment Guidelines