Welcome to Brown Middle School. I’m Lucy Boyer, the School Nurse here at Brown. I’m writing to let you know what to expect from School Health Services in the Newton Public Schools.
Each of Newton’s public schools has a dedicated professional school nurse who administers mandated services and assumes an expanded role. Health services include immunization surveillance, medication administration, and population based screening programs including hearing, vision, postural, growth and substance use prevention. The role of the school nurse also includes care for illness and injury, wellness, teaching/training, student advocacy, and school-based team collaboration.
The Director of School Health Services, Ruth Hoshino, RN, oversees the program which rests in the Health and Human Services Department. Our goal is to facilitate children staying in school so they can learn. However, sometimes that’s not possible. Please be available in the event your child is ill and needs to be dismissed. This should include a backup person in case you are not able to get to school in a reasonable amount of time.
I invite you to contact me regarding your child’s individual health concerns, particularly if s/he needs medication during the school day, has food allergies, diabetes, asthma or other health conditions. The Newton Health and Human Services website, www.newtonma.gov/health includes forms & policies you may need such as medication permission (needed for both prescription and over-the-counter medications).
I can be reached by phone at 617-559-6906, by email at lucy_boyer@newton.k12.ma.us, by fax at 617-552-5541. Please keep in mind that telephone is always best for time sensitive needs.
I look forward to working with you to meet your child’s health needs during the school day.
Brown Health Room, Important Dates for 2017-2018
• Weds 8/30 and Thurs 8/31 Back to School – drop in after 10:00am to meet the nurse, deliver medication, or discuss your child’s health needs
• 7th Grade Immunizations: if your child has not completed the required immunizations, please deliver documentation of their current immunizations to the health office during the first week of school
• Tues 9/5 – first day of school
• September: Fall Sports – If your child is trying out for a sport, they will need to have an
updated physical exam dated within 13 months of the start of the sports season
• Flu Clinic: October 26, 2017. Forms will be available in October, and due on October 24.
• Winter 2018 –Health Screenings. Dates to be determined:
6th – 8th grade: Postural Screening
7th grade: Hearing and Vision
7th grade: Height/Weight (BMI)
8th grade: Substance Use Screening – SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and
Referral to Treatment) is an evidenced based structured conversation between a trained screener and students as a means of substance use prevention. Detailed information will be sent in advance of the scheduled screening.
To opt out of screenings, please contact me.
• March/April 2018: Spring Sports. If your child is trying out for a sport, they will need to have an updated physical exam dated within 13 months of the start of the sports season
• June: Medication Pickup – as school winds down, plan to pick up all medications from the health room. Students are not allowed to transport their medications to/from school.
Medication Policy
• The school nurse is responsible for administering all medications (over the counter as well as prescription) at school. If your child needs to have a medication at school:
- Bring the medication to the health office in the pharmacy labeled container
- Sign the parent permission form
- Provide physician consent
- There are no exceptions to this policy.
The Medication Permission form is available at: http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/health/school_health/default.asp