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

Summer Food Support

Two programs will help families provide school-aged children with nutritious food when school is out this summer. The first is Summer Eats, which will again provide meals at sites across the state. The second is Summer EBT(S-EBT), which will provide food benefits to income eligible households. More information about Summer EBT is available on the state Department of Transitional Assistance’s (DTA) website and in this memo from DESE’s Office for Food and Nutrition Services. The memo outlines eligibility, highlights ways in which Summer EBT is different from Pandemic EBT, provides guidance on districts’ responsibilities, and provides resources for districts and families. Please note that DTA’s online S-EBT application will not be available until June 15. Families who are automatically eligible for S-EBT without district or family action will be notified of their eligibility by DTA during the first week of July.

DPH Summer Safety Guidance:

The Department of Public Health has issued guidance to help keep families safe this summer. The guidance covers topics such as insect bites, swimming, window and car safety, sun and heat protection, and preventing rabies exposure.

   2024-2025 SY Grade Level Required Health Paperwork

2024-2025 SY Grade Level Required Health Paperwork

For the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, the following grades are required by Massachusetts law to give nursing staff certain health paperwork before the 1st day of school, August 26, 2024:

Preschool: 

• Full vaccination record

• One lead test (can be any date)

• One physical exam performed in the last 12 months

Kindergarten: 

• Full vaccination record

• One lead test (can be any date)

• One physical exam performed in the last 12 months

1st Grade:

• One physical exam performed in the last 12 months

4th Grade: 

• One physical exam performed in the last 12 months

7th Grade: 

• One physical exam performed in the last 12 months

• Tetanus booster (Tdap) vaccine

• 1st dose of Meningitis (Meningococcal -MenACWY) vaccine

10th Grade: 

• One physical exam performed in the last 12 months

12th Grade: 

2nd dose dose of the Meningococcal Vaccine (MCV4, MenACWY, MPSV4, MenB) performed after 16th Birthday.

Please contact your School Nurse with any questions. Thank you!

EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) Information

The Department of Public Health has provided several resources for schools, camps, and recreational programs to help protect children and others from mosquito bites and EEE. Please see below:

EEE Resources

Mosquito Bite Prevention Kid Poster

Protegete De Los Mosquitos

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. 

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  

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, topical medicine, and cough drops), herbal, 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. If a student has a temporary prescribed 7-10 day medicine with the pharmacy label on it, then the pharmacy label will act as the medication order. A written parental consent is also required.  Our medication order and parental/guardian consent form is here.

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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