Health Requirements
According to New York State Public Health Law, Section 2164, these are minimum immunizations necessary to enter Onondaga Central School. Please report any subsequent immunizations to the school health office in order to keep your child’s records up to date.
Serologic evidence is acceptable as proof of immunity to: MMR, Hep B, Varicella and Polio (polio antibodies must include all 3 serotypes)
Health Examinations
The New York State Education Department requires that a health certificate (or physical) shall be furnished by each pupil in the public schools upon his/her entrance in such schools and by each child entering the Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th, 9th and 11th grades, thereof. The physical exam is valid for 12 months. These health exams forms must be sumitted to the health office within 30 days of entry to school. If a statement from your physician has not been received within 30 days of entrance into school, it will be assumed that you wish your child to be examined by the school physician.
Dental Examinations
As part of your child's requirements for school, a law was recently enacted that expands health screening to include the dental health of students in New York State.
After September 1, 2008, when we require that your child have a physical examination, (Pre-K, Kindergarten, Grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11), we will be requesting a dental certificate as well. There is a sample certificate available for you to take to your child's dentist and once it is completed, it should be returned to the School Nurse as it will be filed in your child's Cumulative Health Record.
Thank you for your cooperation in this new health endeavor. If you have any questions or need a dental referral, check the Fifth District Dental Society for Onondaga County or call me at 552-5026. The Dental Health Certificate may be downloaded from the Health Office section of this website.
Life- Threatening Health Conditions
Life-threatening health condition: A condition, including a known allergy, that will put the child in danger of death during the school day if a medication or treatment order is not in place (for example food or substance allergy, insect sting allergy, asthma, diabetes, seizure disorder, etc.)
If your child has a life-threatening health condition, please contact the School Health Office/School office for a “Life-threatening Health Condition Packet” .
Illness or injury: If a student becomes ill or injured while in school they are to get a pass from their classroom teacher and report to the Health Office. Students should not report to the health office between classes or without a pass unless it is an emergency. Most health related incidents can easily be handled by the school nurse in the health office and the student can return to class. For more serious injuries or illnesses it is important that an updated emergency medical form be on file with the necessary information to contact a parent/guardian or an emergency contact person so the student can be dismissed home or to other emergency care. If a student should get injured in school or while participating in sports and requires medical care, it should be reported to the school nurse so an Accident Report can be filed for insurance purposes.
School Health Physicals and Dental Certificates (New requirements effective July, 2018): The New York State Department of Education requires that each child entering the seventh, ninth and eleventh grades have an updated physical. It is suggested that this examination be done by the family physician, as he/she is most familiar with your child. Your family physician is better able to judge any change or problem in your child's state of health, and can discuss any recommendations with you directly at that time.
However, school physicals are provided each year for those parents who would prefer to have their child's exam done at school. These are usually scheduled in October and May. If we do not receive proof of a private physical, we will schedule your child for a school physical. Students wishing to participate in a school sport must have a current physical on file at the health office.
School/sports physicals are good for a period of one year. Physical forms may be printed from the nurse's website or they can be obtained from the health office upon request. NYS now also requires a dental certificate for all students entering the seventh, ninth and eleventh grades as well. These forms can be obtained from the nurse’s website or by calling the health office.
Both the physical form and dental certificate must be dated within the past year and submitted within 30 days of the first day of classes. NYS now has a required health appraisal form that must be used for all physicals. Please be sure your physician uses this new form when completing your child's physical. These forms may be printed from the health office website.
Immunizations: Immunizations: NYS also mandates that each student be immunized against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (DTaP/DTP/Tdap) (3 doses); Tdap booster (1 dose); Polio (4 doses); Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) (2 doses); Hepatitis B (3 doses); Varicella (chickenpox) (2 doses); Meningococcal vaccine (1 dose grades 7-11; 2 doses grade 12). There have been many recent changes to the NYS Department of Health Recommended Immunization Schedule (especially pertaining to the Tdap, HPV, Menactra, Varicella and Hepatitis A vaccines). Check with your health care provider to be sure your child is up-to-date.
Physical Education Excuses: If a student needs to be excused from physical education classes, parents are required to send a written excuse to the school nurse. If your child must be excused for more than one week, a note from the attending physician is required.
Screenings (these are new screening requirements effective July, 2018): Throughout the school year all new students as well as all 7th and 11th graders will have their vision and hearing checked by the school nurse. Boys in grades 9 and girls in grade 7 will also be screened for scoliosis. If these screenings are performed by your child's physician at the time of their physical we will not need to perform the screenings at school. Students may also be screened at parent/teacher request.
