NURSE’S NOTES
Roan Forest Clinic News
By: Peggy Mahan, RN, BSN
NEISD HEALTH SERVICES MISSION STATEMENT
To provide an environment that promotes optimal wellness for the students in the NEISD community in a way that
* Provides Individualized quality health care
* Encourages parent/child communication and involvement
* Emphasizes health education
* Utilizes available resources so that all students will be able to achieve their
maximum learning potential
HEALTHY HINTS
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s our “fuel” for our bodies. Children who don’t eat breakfast are often in the clinic complaining of stomachaches and headaches. This means they are missing valuable time in the classroom. Breakfast at Roan Forest is served from 7:05 until 7:40. Along with starting the day with a healthy breakfast, they need to end the day by getting enough sleep. Most children need at least 9-10 hours of sleep. Getting enough sleep helps your child do their best in whatever they do.
IMMUNIZATIONS – NO SHOT! NO SCHOOL! NO KIDDING!!!
State law requires that all students entering Texas schools provide complete written proof of immunizations at the time of registration. During the school year when immunizations become delinquent, Central Office will generate a letter. This letter tells you what immunizations are needed and the date by when they need to be updated. If they are not updated by that time, the students are not allowed to come to school until we receive documentation that the immunizations are up to date. Our goal is that no child misses school due to immunizations. I start making phone calls the week before to remind you. The parent portal will also send notifications to those parents using the portal.
MEDICATION
All medications must be brought to the clinic by an adult. Children are not allowed to carry any medications to school – this includes cough drops! Prescription medicine will be administered only in accordance with the instructions on the label. Long-term medications to be given all year or for emergency situations must have a Medication Administration Request filled out by the physician and signed by the parent. This form must be obtained in the clinic or from the NEISD website under Health Services. Non-prescription medication will be administered only on a very limited temporary basis (10 days) and with written parent/guardian permission. This form will be filled out in the clinic when the medicine is brought in by the parent. All unused medication will be picked up by the parent or designated adult. The medication will not be sent home with the child.
SCREENINGS 
The following screenings take place during the year:
* Heights and Weights- all students
* Vision and Hearing- Kinder, 1st, 3rd, and 5th
* Acanthosis Nigricans-1st, 3rd and 5th
* Spinal Screening-5th
* Dental Screening-3rd
If a student fails the first screening, a second one is conducted within 2 weeks. If they fail the second time, a referral letter is sent home. There is a portion on this letter for your physician to complete when your child has been seen. We would like these back within 30 days if at all possible.
SENDING STUDENTS HOME 
Children with fever cannot be in school. If your child develops a fever of 100.4 or greater at school you will be called to take them home. We recommend that they stay home until they have been without a fever for 24 hours. If your child has a fever at home, please DO NOT send them to school even if you have given Tylenol or Motrin. Once the medication has worn off, the child will start feeling bad. They will also be exposing the other children in the class to illness. If your child has diarrhea 3 or more times here at school, we will call you to take your child home. We will also call if your child has vomited and looks like they don’t feel well.
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
Current home, work, cell phone numbers for parents and other adults who are authorized to pick up your child are listed on the blue emergency card that was filled out at the beginning of the year, or at registration. If during the year there are any changes to these numbers, please let us know. This is what we use to contact you in case of an emergency.
SPECIAL HEALTH NEEDS
If your child has any health problems that we should be aware of, such as allergies, asthma, diabetes, please let me know so I may send home a Student Health Needs form. We would like this form to be filled out by the physician. If for some reason this is not possible please fill it out yourself. If your child is taking any medication at home, we would also like to know that. This allows us to watch your child for possible side effects of the medicine.
HELPFUL HINTS 
Please remember to pack a change of clothes in your child’s backpack. Children of all ages have various accidents requiring them to change clothes during the day. We do have some clothes here, but tend to run out as the year goes on. This will hopefully save you a trip to the school in the middle of your busy day. Remember to put in warmer clothes when the weather starts to change.
HEALTHY AND HEALTH CARE LINKS
Center for Disease Control
http://ww.cdc.gov
San Antonio Health Department
http://www.sanantonio.gov
Texas Department of Health
http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/kids
NEISD
http://www.neisd.net/health/index.html
Health Information for Children
http://www.kidshealth.org
Health Finder
http://www.hhs.gov
