District » Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness

School Nurse 
Holly Patterson 
(315) 344-2414 ext. 28008
[email protected]
Forms 
When should I keep my child home with illness? 
 
It can be hard to know when to send children to school if they tell you that they do not feel well.  Usually, the best place for them is in school, but there are some times when keeping them home to rest or calling for an appointment with your health care provider is recommended.
  • Fever greater than 100.4°
  • Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
  • Severe sore throat along with fever and feeling ill for more than 48 hours, or after exposure to Strep throat infection
  • Honey-crusted sores around the nose or mouth or rash on other body parts
  • Large amounts of mucous (liquid) from their nose, with face pain or headache
  • Severe ear pain or fluid coming from the ear
  • Severe headache, especially with fever
If your child has a fever, it is not a good idea to give them medicine like Tylenol or Advil and send them to school because as soon as the medicine wears off, the fever may return and you will be called to come and pick up your child.
 
*Please keep children home for 24 hours after the fever ENDS or they have completed 24 hours of medication if prescribed by your healthcare provider. *
 
If you find your child is frequently asking to stay home from school, if they are falling behind or appear anxious about school, or if there does not appear to be any physical symptoms, contact your school nurse and your health care provider to discuss your concerns.  
 
Remind children to throw away used tissues, cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, keep their hands away from their face, and to wash hands often with soap and warm water will help keep everyone healthier. Also, if children are presenting with symptoms please consider having them wear a mask while in school to help limit the spread of illnesses. 
 
Please call us with any concerns or questions.
 

FLU

COVID-19

Heuvelton Central School is following the latest guidance from the New York State Department of Health regarding COVID-19. For more information, please review “What Parents/Caregivers Should Know about COVID Mitigation Strategies for the 2022-2023 School Year” (August 2022).  

As with any infectious illness, students and staff who test positive for COVID-19, or who show symptoms, are asked to stay home from school and follow the Centers for Disease Control’s Isolation Guidance.  
  • Someone who tested positive and has no symptoms may return to school after day 5.
  • Someone who is sick (has symptoms) may return to school after day 5 if they have been fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving.
 
People who have been sick, or tested positive, should wear a mask through day 10. 
Testing is recommended for people with symptoms of COVID-19 as soon as possible after symptoms begin. 

At-home test kits 
Heuvelton Central School will provide at-home COVID-19 test kits for students as long as we have them available. If you need a home COVID test, please contact School Nurse Holly Patterson (315-344-2414 x28008, [email protected]
COVID-19 vaccinations are not required to attend school. Children ages 6 months and older are all eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Children older than 5 are eligible for a booster. For more information, visit ny.gov/vaxtoschool. Additionally, St. Lawrence Public Health offers COVID-19 vaccinations/ boosters to students/families at no charge. Appointments may be scheduled online at https://stlawco.org/Departments/PublicHealth/COVID-19Vaccine.
Any student or staff member may wear a mask while at school to prevent the spread of illness. Mask-wearing is recommended for at least 10 days following a positive COVID test, or COVID illness, and after exposure to a known positive COVID case.
Routine cleaning in our school buildings continues to be an important strategy for reducing the spread of illness. High-risk areas such as health offices, classrooms, lunchrooms, athletic rooms, bathrooms and high-traffic areas are disinfected daily.  Additionally, HVAC settings have been adjusted to optimize air exchange throughout the building.