New Foundations

Letters from the Nursing Department

Letters From the Nursing Department
Screening Reminder	September 2023
Nursing Department Paperwork Reminder	August 2023

Nursing Office Procedures

For the well being of our entire school community we must comply with local, state, and federal health laws. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding any of our procedures, please reach out to Nurse Manager Tricia Cancelliere at tcancelliere@newfoundations.org.

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Food Allergies
Food Allergies: Any students who have food allergies or intolerances and plan on utilizing our school lunch program through Maschio's please review the information included in this folder and complete the necessary forms. Forms should be returned to Lorraine Kunick, RDN, at lkunick@maschiofood.com or faxed to 908-888-2335, ASAP. Please include Tricia Cancelliere, tcancelliere@newfoundations.org, on all emails to Maschio's.

Food Allergies

Food Allergies: Any students who have food allergies or intolerances and plan on utilizing our school lunch program through Maschio's please review the information included in this folder and complete the necessary forms. Forms should be returned to Lorraine Kunick, RDN, at lkunick@maschiofood.com or faxed to 908-888-2335, ASAP. Please include Tricia Cancelliere, tcancelliere@newfoundations.org, on all emails to Maschio's.

Physicals and Immunizations
Your student will be unable to attend school until a physical and the appropriate immunizations have been given and documented. If you are morally, ethically, or religiously against immunizations, you must have that documented and submitted to the Nursing Office. However, if at any time there is a case of a vaccine preventable disease in either building, your student may be excluded for a period of time to be decided by the City of Philadelphia Health Department. Due to the increasing outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases, the New Foundations Board of Trustees is reviewing the current policy regarding students who choose to remain unvaccinated. This review may result in a more restrictive policy.

Physicals and Immunizations

Your student will be unable to attend school until a physical and the appropriate immunizations have been given and documented. If you are morally, ethically, or religiously against immunizations, you must have that documented and submitted to the Nursing Office. However, if at any time there is a case of a vaccine preventable disease in either building, your student may be excluded for a period of time to be decided by the City of Philadelphia Health Department. Due to the increasing outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases, the New Foundations Board of Trustees is reviewing the current policy regarding students who choose to remain unvaccinated. This review may result in a more restrictive policy.

Medications
The office will not administer medication during the first and last hour of the day, unless it is a prescription medication with a Med #1 Form. If you are dropping off medication for your child, please call the nurse prior to arrival to ensure they are aware. Medication cannot be given on an empty stomach, please make sure your student eats breakfast and lunch in case they require medication throughout the day. Medications cannot be given without parental consent filled out. Please ensure a health history and medication consent form is filled out for each new school year. The office does not stock seasonal allergy medication. Please administer such medications (Clartin, Zyrtec, etc.) to your student prior to school. If your student has any health condition, please make the office aware. Action Plans or Individual Health Plans may need to be filled out by your Doctor, to keep on file for the student's safety during school hours.

Medications

The office will not administer medication during the first and last hour of the day, unless it is a prescription medication with a Med #1 Form. If you are dropping off medication for your child, please call the nurse prior to arrival to ensure they are aware. Medication cannot be given on an empty stomach, please make sure your student eats breakfast and lunch in case they require medication throughout the day. Medications cannot be given without parental consent filled out. Please ensure a health history and medication consent form is filled out for each new school year. The office does not stock seasonal allergy medication. Please administer such medications (Clartin, Zyrtec, etc.) to your student prior to school. If your student has any health condition, please make the office aware. Action Plans or Individual Health Plans may need to be filled out by your Doctor, to keep on file for the student's safety during school hours.

Doctors Notes
Any injury that affects the student in school needs to be documented with a Doctor’s note, stating any accommodations that are needed. The student will need a follow up note to clear them to return to all activity when the time is appropriate. If your student requires a water bottle throughout the day, you must have a Doctor’s note on file with the Office. If your student has any health condition, please make the office aware. Action Plans or Individual Health Plans may need to be filled out by your Doctor to keep on file for the student's safety during school hours.

Doctors Notes

Any injury that affects the student in school needs to be documented with a Doctor’s note, stating any accommodations that are needed. The student will need a follow up note to clear them to return to all activity when the time is appropriate. If your student requires a water bottle throughout the day, you must have a Doctor’s note on file with the Office. If your student has any health condition, please make the office aware. Action Plans or Individual Health Plans may need to be filled out by your Doctor to keep on file for the student's safety during school hours.

Hours & Schedule

K-8	High School
7:15am - 3:15pm	6:30am - 2:30pm

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The Nursing Office will be closed for a maximum of 3-hours each day to complete Mandatory Health Screenings. Teachers and Students will be made aware of those hours.

During those 3-hours, only students with scheduled medications and true medical emergencies will be seen. If the student is experiencing a true emergency, they must go to the front office, otherwise they will be asked to return to class.

Mandatory Health Forms

All paperwork should be turned into the Nursing Office by the end of the first week of school. If you are having issues obtaining these papers from your Family Doctor please contact the Nursing Office so we can assist you.

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K-8: New Students
Physical Examination Form
Dental Examination Form

High School: All Students
Physical Examination Form

3rd Grade: All Students
Dental Examination Form

6th Grade: All Students
Physical Examination Form
Dental Examination Form

9th Grade: All Students
Physical Examination Form

Students with Health Conditions: Asthma
Asthma Action Plan
Self-Administration Contract: Inhaler
Med#1 Form

Students with Health Conditions: Allergies
Self-Administration Contract: EPI Pen
Med#1 Form

Students with Health Conditions: Diabetes
Diabetes Action Plan
Med#1 Form

Students with Health Conditions: Seizures
Seizure Action Plan
Med#1 Form

Health History & Medication Consent
Health History & Medication Consent Form

Screenings

New Foundations Charter School is mandated by Pennsylvania State Law to perform the following health screenings in certain grade levels. If you do not wish for your child to be screened for height, weight, hearing, vision, or scoliosis, you must submit this request in writing to the Nursing Office. A notification will be sent home prior to the screenings and there will be a time frame given to opt your student out. Otherwise, your student will be screened along with the rest of their class. The results of the screenings will be made available to you once your student has been screened. If your child is referred for further evaluation following any school health screening you must turn in documentation that your student was evaluated by the appropriate Health Care Provider prior to May 1st.

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Height / Weight
Grades K-12

Vision Screening
Grades K-12

Hearing Screening
Grades K-3, 7 & 11

Scoliosis Screening
Grades 6 & 7

Asthma

If your student has been diagnosed with Asthma please make the Nurse's office aware. An Asthma Action Plan will need to be filled out by your Doctor. If they use an Asthma Inhaler please have the Med #1 Form form filled out by the prescribing Doctor and bring the inhaler to school. If your student requires a spacer for their inhaler you must provide one to be kept in school.

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K-5 Students
K-5 students will have their inhalers kept in Nurse Mary's Office and will report to her to use the inhaler.

6-8 Students
6-8 students are encouraged to carry their own inhalers only after they have reviewed and signed the Self-Administration Contract. It is crucial the student understands to report to the nurse after self-administration if there is no improvement in symptoms and further assessment is needed.

High School Students

9-12 students are encouraged to carry their own inhalers only after they have reviewed and signed the Self-Administration Contract. It is crucial the student understands to report to the nurse after self-administration if there is no improvement in symptoms and further assessment is needed.

Students with a Nebulizer
If your student has severe asthma that is treated with a Nebulizer you must have the prescribing Doctor fill out a Med #1 Form. You must provide the school with the student own nebulizer machine, medication, and mask/mouth piece.

Diabetes

If your student is Diabetic please make the Nurse's Office aware. A Diabetes Action Plan as well as a Med #1 Form will have to be filled out by your Doctor. Medication and extra supplies are asked to be kept in the Nurse's office. Students are encouraged to use pumps and Continuous Blood Glucose Monitors in school if that is what they use at home. Accommodations will need to be made to allow for electronic devices or cell phone apps that help monitor sugar during the school hours. Please schedule a meeting with Nurse Tricia to go over individual information regarding your student so that we are better prepared to keep them safe throughout the school day.

Food Allergies

Here at New Foundations Charter School we strive for the safest environment for all students. In order to do that we must strictly adhere to being a PEANUT/NUT FREE SCHOOL. No student or staff member in grades K-12 should ever bring peanuts/nuts or peanut/nut containing items into either school building. Whether for yourself or to share we must put safety first and say NO to PEANUTS/NUTS.

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Why Peanut Free? While this may seem to be a very restrictive policy, food allergies affect a large number of our students here at New Foundations Charter School. Peanut allergies often result in an anaphylactic reaction for our students and can be life threatening. Due to this rise in Peanut Allergy we have to be diligent about eliminating the possibility for a severe life threatening reactions. We take all Food Allergies very seriously, please make the Nursing Office aware of any food allergies your student may have and the reaction they cause.

We take all food allergies very seriously. Please make the Nursing Office aware of any food allergies your student may have and the reaction they cause. Any students who have food allergies or intolerances and plan on utilizing our school lunch program through Maschio's please review the information below and complete this Medical Statement: Request for Special Meals and Milk Substitutions Form.

If you have any questions, about allergies related to our food service program please reach out to to Lorraine Kunick, MPH, RDN, CHES, at lkunick@maschiofood.com.

Maschio's Food Allergy Program
2022-2023 Parent Letter - English \| Spanish
Response to Request for Medical Information Relative to Food Products - English \| Spanish
Request for Special Meals and Milk Substitutions - English \| Spanish

Seizure Disorders & Epilepsy

If your student had, currently has, or is being tested for Seizures, please make the Nurse's Office aware. A Seizure Action Form will need to be filled out by their Doctor. If your student takes medication at home and you would like to keep an emergency supply in school, please have their Doctor fill out a Med #1 Form and bring the form and medication to school.

504 Plans

If your child previously had a 504 Plan or if you are seeking a 504 Plan for medical accommodations please contact Nurse Tricia.

COVID Information

NFCS follows the recommendations of the Philadelphia Department of Health in regards to COVID guidelines. Policies will be updated accordingly. Masks are optional. As of August 2023, when an NFCS student or staff member tests positive for COVID, they must quarantine for 5 days, starting the day after they tested positive or symptoms started. As long as there is improvement in symptoms and they have been fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medications, they can return to school on day 6 wearing a mask for the remaining 5 days. Students must provide proof of a positive test result in order for their absence to be excused. This includes a photo of a home test or documentation from a medical provider. Students should keep in touch with their teachers to notify them of their absence and stay on top of their school work if they are able to do so.