Per Diem Nurses Wanted

We are looking for per diem Registered Nurses to provide nursing care to our students and staff in our clinics. Please contact Nancy Jenks at (413) 493-5000 or njenks@granbyschoolsma.net for more information.

Granby Public Schools Daily COVID #s

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Weekly Health Services & Wellness Committee Newsletter

Updated State Respiratory Virus Guidance-3/25/2024

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has updated the respiratory virus guidance for schools. This includes the guidance for viruses such as COVID-19, Influenza (Flu), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). We have included the updated guidance in the links below for you reference. This guidance will also be available on our district health services website main page as well as the weekly nursing news in both schools' weekly newsletters. You may also access the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's webpage regarding these changes here. 

MA DPH Respiratory Virus Guidance-Symptoms & isolation

MA DPH Respiratory Virus Guidance-Positive with No Symptoms

MA DPH Respiratory Virus Guidance-Exposure Precautions

Please contact Nancy Jenks, Nurse Leader at njenks@granbyschoolsma.net with any questions. 

COVID Tests

Granby Public Schools is working with the US Department of Education in providing students, families, and staff with free antigen COVID tests. Each box will contain two antigen COVID tests. 

These COVID tests will be made available in the East Meadow and Granby Jr/Sr High clinics to be sent home will sick students and staff. If you are interested in receiving a COVID test to be sent home with your student, please contact your School Nurse.

Please note that nursing and school staff WILL NOT be conducting COVID tests in school. The expectation is that testing will occur at home. Additionally, some of the COVID tests that we have received may have expired. There have been extensions to the expiration dates on some tests; please check this FDA link so you can reference the current expiration date. 

Please contact Nancy Jenks, Nurse Leader at njenks@granbyschoolsma.net or (413) 493-5000, ext. 1055 with any questions. Thank you!

Health Screening Referrals

Nursing has sent out second and third health screening referral letters to families of students who failed their health screenings this year. If you have received these letters, we ask you to please contact your child’s healthcare provider for further evaluation. 

Please bring the received school letter to the appointment, have the healthcare provider complete, and sign the letter. Then please return the letter the nursing.

Students who fail health screenings may need assistance with supports such as glasses and healthcare monitoring to ensure students can fully access their education and be successful in the classroom. So it is important that students follow up with their healthcare providers to see if there are any health concerns.

 Helping Stay Healthy:

With winter now here, it is a good time for families, students, and educators to get their COVID-19 and flu vaccinations if they have not already. More information is available on the Department of Public Health’s website.

We also encourage everyone to wash their hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not readily available. We also encourage everyone to avoid touching their face, especially their “T” zone: eyes, nose, and mouth. This helps germs from entering the body through these “gateways.”

Smile Pros

The Granby Public Schools has begun working with a free dental program for students called Smile Pros. Smile Pros is a public health based dental program run by two registered public health dental hygienists. They offer free dental cleanings, sealants, fluoride, and education to any student with consent from preschool through grade 12 regardless if they have dental insurance or not. Students can enroll and un-enroll at any time. If you would like your student to participate and have not signed a consent, please see the consent forms below and returned completed and signed consents to nursing.

If you are interested in having your student participate in this program, please read the attached information form and complete, sign, and return the consent form to nursing. Please contact Nancy Jenks, Nurse Leader with any questions at njenks@granbyschoolsma.net.

Smile Pros Info & Consent Forms-English & Spanish

MA Dental Resources for Students and Their Caregivers

DID YOU KNOW?

There is a new section on the Mass.gov website specific to dental care in MA for those families who have MassHealth Dental. 

Finding care 

• If you have a dental insurance card, considering calling the number on the card or using the plan website to search.   

• MassHealth – Search for a Dentist  

Mass Health Reminder

On April 1, 2023, MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program, began re-determining the status of all 2.3 million MassHealth members. To find out what members need to do once it is their turn to renew, go to: https://www.mahealthconnector.org/masshealthrenew.

MassHealth Redetermination Information-English

MassHealth Redetermination Information-Spanish

Physicals and Vaccinations for the 2023-2024 School Year

PHYSICAL EXAMS: 

Any new or transferring students, students in grades kindergarten, 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th as well as those students playing MIAA sports, must provide an updated physical performed within the last 12 months to the School Nurse before starting school or playing sports. Students in preschool and kindergarten must also submit documentation of having had at least one lead test since birth upon entry to school. 

VACCINATIONS:

All students entering school must provide documentation of current vaccinations or a religious or medical exemption or they will be excluded from school in accordance with MA state law. Students with medical or religious exemptions are to provide written documentation annually. 

DPH continues to strongly recommend that everyone age six months and older receive their seasonal flu vaccine each year. 

For students entering 7th grade, they are to provide documentation that they have been vaccinated for Tdap and Meningococcal (MenACWY-formerly MCV4) before starting school. 12th grade students are also to provide documentation of receiving 2 doses for Meningococcal (MenACWY-formerly MCV4). 

Any student without the written vaccination or exemption documentation may be excluded from school until school nursing staff have received the proper paperwork. Additionally, if there is a disease outbreak that the student has not been vaccinated against, the child may be excluded based on the state public health guidelines for the specific disease.

211 Help Steps

211HELPSteps is the online platform of Mass211. From any desktop or mobile device, individuals can search and then connect to local health and human service resources across the Commonwealth. Programs that are included support basic needs such as food security, housing, childcare, transportation as well as resources for mental and emotional health.

Medications in School

In accordance with MA State law, any students needing prescription, over-the-counter (such as Tylenol, Motrin, cold medicine, and cough drops), herbal, or supplemental vitamins or medicines in school on a daily or as-needed basis must have a written medication order from a licensed healthcare provider with the provider's signature. A written parental consent is also required. 

Medications must be brought in by a responsible adult such as ADHD medicine or a responsible student as deemed by the parent and nursing staff who has life-saving/emergency medications such as an asthma inhaler, epi-pen auto injector, anti-seizure medication, pancreatic enzymes, and/or insulin. Medication must be in the original pharmacy container with the pharmacy label on it and can only be accepted by school nursing staff.

Psychotropic medication such as ADD/ADHD medicine CAN NOT be sent in with any student. Students can not carry medication on them unless the meds are the life-saving/emergency medications listed above. Please contact your student's School Nurse with any questions.

To access our Medication Administration Policy, click here.

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