Amber Collette
Jr/Sr School Nurse
phone: (518) 753-4458 x2511
fax: (518) 753-4151

Megghen Campanella
Elementary School Nurse
phone: (518) 753-4458 x3509

Per NYS Education Law, section 903, physicals must be done no earlier than September 1st of the previous year to qualify for the current school year

Education Law and Regulations of the Commissioner of Education require physical examinations of children when they:

• Enter the school district for the first time
• Are in grades PreK, K , 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11
• Participate in interscholastic sports
• Need working papers
• Are referred by/to the Committee on Special Education
• Are deemed necessary by school authorities to determine a child’s education program

If a physical examination is not submitted for a child whose examination is mandated (as above), you will be notified in writing that, if a physical examination report is not furnished within 15 days from the date of the notice, the child will be examined through the school health service program (Education Law, Section 904).

The school physician visits the Jr/Sr High School and the Elementary School one morning per month. If you would like to schedule a physical with the school physician, please call the respective health offices to make an appointment

Physical Health Form

New York State Public Health Law 2164 requires all students entering and attending school to be immunized.

If a child needs to be administered medicine while at school, the following requirements must be met to be compliant with NYS Education Law governing medications:

1. Parent or legal guardian must sign the permission to administer medication form 
2. A physician must complete the permission to administer medication form or provide a written prescription with all pertinent information included.
   
3. The medication; in its original labeled container must be delivered directly to the school nurse by a parent/guardian or other adult appointed by the parent/guardian. Over-the-counter medications should be in un-opened containers.
4. The Health Office does not supply any over-the counter medications (Tums,    Tylenol, Mortin, Benadryl, cough drops, etc).

When accidents occur, injuries and accidents must be reported to the teacher in charge, regardless how minor it might be. The teacher will file a written report to the nurse within 24 hours of its occurrence. Parents must file an Emergency Medical Information Card with the information and preferred hospital in the event that an emergency occurs. This card will be sent home with each student in September. It is the responsibility of the parent to notify the school in the event that the emergency information changes.

An excess-type medical insurance is carried by the school. This means that family insurance must be used first and the remaining balance reported under school insurance.

Health & Safety Update

Flu Season

Click here for more info from the CDC on the Flu and prevention.

Lyme Disease

Rensselaer County is experiencing a high rate of Lyme Disease, a bacterial infection caused by the bite of infected deer tick. Please visit the New York State Department of Health link below for helpful information to protect you and your family from this potentially debilitating disease.

http://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/lyme/

Energy Drinks – There is growing concern about the health effects of highly caffeinated drinks. There drinks are very popular with teenagers and young adults, but there is little research on their long terms effects on young bodies. These drinks have quite bizarre ingredients in high amounts and the effects of these ingredients alone, and in combination have not been tested.

Sports Nutrition: Dairy can play an important role in an active lifestyle, check out the American Dairy Association & Dairy Council for more information on Refuel with Chocolate Milk – http://adadc.com/sports-nutrition.html

www.hcdiny.org/– The Healthy Capital District Initiative (HCDI) is an incorporated not for profit organization that helps children and adults in the Capital Region get health services that they might not have accessed otherwise. If you would like more information about their services, you may contact them @ 518-462-7040 or visit their website at http://www.hcdiny.org/

www.combatheroin.ny.gov – this website was developed to fight the growing heroin and prescription opioid epidemic in New York State.

www.smokefree.gov – Smokefree.gov is intended to help you or someone you care about quit smoking.

www.epilepsyfoundation.org – At the Epilepsy Foundation, one of our primary goals is to provide accessible, current information about epilepsy/seizure disorders to individuals with epilepsy, parents, family members and friends.

www.capitalregionasthma.org – The Asthma Coalition of the Capital Region (ACCR) is one of eight regional asthma coalitions funded by the New York State Department of Health. The mission of ACCR is to coordinate sustainable initiatives that will reduce the burden of asthma in our region.

www.drugfree.org – We work to reduce teen substance abuse and support families impacted by addiction.

www.aafa.org –The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a not-for-profit organization is the leading patient organization for people with asthma and allergies, and the oldest asthma and allergy patient group in the world.

www.health.ny.gov – NYS Department Of Health

www.jdrf.org – JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without T1D.