Nurse's Corner
Nurse Shannon Szychulski RN,BSN,CSN
Location: Lawton Elementary School
Email: sszychulski@philasd.org
Telephone number: (215) 400-3340, option 2
Fax number: (215) 400-3341
Free Public Benefits Navigation for SDP Families –
Including Health Insurance Support
I’m excited to announce that the Office of Student Health Services established a partnership with Benephilly, a City of Philadelphia program, to provide free one-on-one help to enroll SDP families in public benefits, such as health insurance. The purpose of this partnership is to connect SDP families to needed community resources that benefit students’ health and educational outcomes.
A Benephilly navigator (Stacie Brown) is located at the School District of Philadelphia (440 N. Broad St.) every Wednesdays 9a-3p to help SDP families apply for public benefits. SDP families can register here to make an appointment. Parents/Caregivers who make an appointment should check-in at the F.A.C.E. Office Welcome Center at 440 N. Broad St. The navigator helps families with health insurance, prescription medication cost, groceries, property taxes, college cost, heat and other utilities. This service is open to ALL SDP families regardless of documentation status, immigration status, language spoken or citizenship. ALL families should be encouraged to make an appointment if they have a need. Translation services are available.
SDP’s Health Insurance Resource Webpage.
Flyers are available in all 9 District languages.
The Office of Student Health Services is grateful for the support and collaboration of the F.A.C.E. Team in making this program a reality for our families!
IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
State law requires all children entering school meet specific immunization requirements. If the requirement is not met, your child may be excluded from school until the requirement is met.
Click here for more information about immunization requirements
MEDICATION DURING SCHOOL
Students are NOT allowed to have any medications on their person or in their school bag at any time unless approved by the school nurse. This includes asthma inhalers and over the counter medications.
Any medication (prescription and over-the-counter medicines) or treatment necessary during the school day requires the following:
The MED-1 form must be completed by the child’s medical provider, signed by the parent/guardian, and updated every year.
The medications must be submitted directly to the school nurse in the original packaging from the pharmacy.
Please select the Med-1 form needed for submission to the school nurse (the nurse will provide the form if you do not have access to a printer):
Request for the Administration of Medication
Request for the Administration of Asthma Medication
Request for the Administration of Seizure Medication
MEDICAL CONDITION
For your child’s safety and wellbeing, please let the school nurse know of any health condition that might impact your child during school hours. We request that you complete Form S-865 every year and submit to the school nurse as soon as possible. The same form is required every year in order to give your child Tylenol (Acetaminophen), Motrin (Ibuprofen), or hydrocortisone cream.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS
Physical examinations are required for all new students entering school, Kindergarten, and 1st grade. Please have this form completed by the child’s doctor and submit it to the school nurse or Main Office. In order for your child to attend a school/class trip, a physical form must be on file with the. It is highly recommended that every student submit a physical each year updating the nurse with any changes to medical history or any other concerns. Your children spend most of the day here at school and we want to keep them healthy and safe. Without this information we have no idea as to what medical concerns/conditions we should know about. For example, does your child now wear eyeglasses, do they now have allergies that they may not have had the previous year.
UPDATED LICE POLICY 2018
The following policy has been developed by the School District of Philadelphia to minimize the amount of time a child is absent from school secondary to lice. Please read through the policy and contact the school nurse if you have any further questions.
EARLY DISMISSALS DUE TO ILLNESS
If your child becomes ill during school hours, the nurse might determine that the child should be picked-up from school. Only listed emergency contacts or parent/guardians can pick up a child for early dismissals due to medical reasons. Make sure that your emergency contact form is updated with the main office any time your telephone number or address changes. Contact the Main Office for emergency contact forms. Per School District policy, all early dismissals must be done in the Main Office with proper identification.
GUIDELINES FOR KEEPING STUDENTS HOME FROM SCHOOL
*Always provide the school with an absence note if your child was absent due to illness.
1. Fever – 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, the student should remain home until free of fever for 24 hours without using fever reducing medications.
2. Diarrhea, Vomiting – The student may return to school 24 hours after being free of symptoms.
3. Vomiting – Occurrence of more than one episode of vomiting and associated with other symptoms. May return to school 24 hours after being free of symptoms.
4. The child was in the hospital. The child must have a note to return to school.
5, Eye infection- The child must be evaluated by the doctor and have a note to return to school.
6. The child has a rash with itching or fever. Free from rash, itching, or fever and have a note to return to school.