Columbia School District
Health Office
At Horace Porter school the safety of all our students is paramount. If your student has any life-threatening allergies or medical conditions please contact the school nurse at 860-228-9493, so that she can work with you and your child’s medical provider to develop a plan of care specific to your child’s needs.
The school nurse is responsible for...
maximizing the health and well-being of all students
providing routine and emergency health care for students and staff
maintaining student health records while ensuring compliance with regulations regarding immunizations, physical assessments, screenings, record keeping, and privacy mandates
overseeing the administration and documentation of prescribed medications
discussing health concerns with students and parents
consulting with the physicians of students who have health concerns
making home visits to students when needed
When to Keep Your Child Home
The following situations warrant keeping your child home from school:
Temperature above 100.4
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Earache
Persistent coughing
Rash of unknown origin
Too sick to participate in school activities
When returning to school from a fever, your child should be fever-free for 24 hours off medication. When returning from vomiting or diarrhea, once the vomiting or diarrhea has stopped and your child is able to take his/her normal diet.
School Health Forms
This state form is required for entry into Preschool, Kindergarten, and during the 6th grade year. Parent fills out the front of the form and the doctor fills out the rest. A complete list of all vaccinations should be written on the form or attached to the form. Once the form is completed, please return to it to the school nurse before the date the child is to start school.
The double-sided form is required yearly. The parent fills it out and signs it. It should then be returned to the school with the other beginning-of-the-year forms. It is important that the nurse be made aware each year of any medications, allergies, or medical conditions that your child has. This form also lets the nurse know if you give permission for the administration of Tylenol/Motrin, and for 5th-8th grade, if you want your child screened for scoliosis.
This form must be submitted if you want the nurse to give your child medication at school. This includes over-the-counter medication EXCEPT Tylenol and Motrin. The doctor fills out the top and the parent fills out the middle portion. If the doctor and the parent feel the child is capable of carrying their own medication (inhaler or EpiPen) then they should also fill out the bottom. The nurse will work with the student to assess his/her ability to self-carry. Once this form is filled out it should be returned to the nurse.
School Sports Forms
In order to participate in school sports, a valid physical (no more than 13 months old) must be on file with the school nurse. This form is filled out by the doctor. It must be submitted prior to any tryouts, practices or games or the student will not be able allowed to participate.
In order to participate in school sports, this form must be submitted to the school nurse annually. Both the parent and student fill out this form. It must be submitted prior to any tryouts, practices or games or the student will not be able allowed to participate.