Nurse
School Nurse: Keith Turpin
Office Hours: Mon – Fri, 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Phone: 973-378-2772 Ext 2013
kturpin@somsd.k12.nj.us
Please click HERE for letter about Health Education
Please click HERE for forms and helpful health information.
What Constitutes A Sick Child
Addressing the spread of germs in schools is essential to the health of our youth, our schools, and our staff.
If your child does become ill, it is equally important to keep your child home to protect the health of all children and staff at school as well as protect the sick child whose resistance is lowered and who is more susceptible to other infections.
If you are not sure when to keep your child home, please use the listed reasons as a guide in making that decision.
- Nausea or vomiting or has vomited during the night.
- Diarrhea.
- Frequent coughing or sneezing.
- Evidence of a communicable disease such as a rash, fever, or unusual sores.
- A temperature of 100 degrees or above.
- If a child has a fever, he/she should not return to school until it has been normal for 24 hours (without taking Tylenol or other fever reducing medicine).
- Sore throat.
- A new cold or generally feels bad.
- Unusual watery, burning or red, crusty eyes.
General Information
Emergency Cards
These are essential in the event of your child becoming ill or injured while at school. Please complete them in entirety including your signature on the back of the card hereby giving permission to treat your child in the event of an emergency. Update all information throughout the year as phone numbers may change. Only those persons listed as emergency contacts will be able to take your child home if you cannot be reached.
Medication
Medications including over the counter and prescription can only be taken in school when both a parent and physician have signed a permission/authorization form. These forms are available in the nurse’s office as well as on the district’s web site. Medication must be kept in the nurse’s office at all times with exception to medications needed for life threatening conditions such as inhalers and Epi-pens. A physician and parent must sign these special forms before the student self carries these medications. All medication kept in school must be in the original container and picked up at the end of the school year.
Immunization Update
Students entering grade six must show evidence of having received a meningococcal vaccine after turning 11 years and a Tdap vaccine on or after their 10th birthday. All documentation must be presented to the school nurse on or before the first day of school to be in compliant with NJ law. For those students whose birthdays fall after the start of school, documentation needs to be presented two weeks following the child’s 11th birthday. Failure to comply with this NJ State regulation may result in the exclusion of your child from school.
Screenings
All students will be monitored for height, weight, blood pressure, vision and scoliosis (curvature of the spine). This is ongoing throughout the school year. You will be notified by phone or mail of any abnormalities. A computerized hearing screening will be conducted on all 7th grade students in the late fall.
Other Health Topics
Click HERE to find information from the district on additional health topics, including head lice.
