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Student Health Hub
Student Health Hub
School Nurses: Your Family’s Partner in Health
Our school nurses are your family’s partners in promoting your child’s health. In our schools, full-time licensed practical and registered nurses offer the following:
- First aid for accidents and/or sudden illness
- Comfort measures for common health complaints
- Administration of medications to students when permissions and procedures have been established (see #medications below)
- Adherence to state immunization requirements (see #immunizations below)
- Mandated physicals needed for enrollment, plus screening programs for hearing and vision (see #healthscreenings below)
- Assistance to students who are managing ongoing health issues and support the establishing and maintaining health-care plans (see #chronicconditions)
- Monitoring/containment of communicable diseases and infestations at school
- Assistance to families with navigating the health care system on behalf of their children
- Education about growth and development, human physiology, and common medical issues to students who request information.
- Health and safety planning for field trips
Contact Your School Nurse
Contact information for each school’s nurse is listed on the school’s Students & Families Hub.
Call your school or find the specific info on the page
Make Sure Your School Nurse Can Contact You!
Your school needs up-to-date information every year, which we receive through the back-to-school re-registration process. This gives school personnel:
- Legal permission to take action on behalf of the student in cases of emergency, even before a parent can be reached
- Information about health conditions, insurance, and hospital of preference, to help the school make appropriate decisions regarding care
- Up-to-date parent phone numbers and emergency contacts so that the school can notify parents as soon as possible in case of emergency.
Required Immunizations & Physical
Staying up to date on physicals and immunizations helps keep our school community healthy.
A School Health Entrance Form is required for all elementary students. See #healthforms.
For attendance at a public school in Virginia, parents must submit proof of age-appropriate immunizations with the prescribed number of doses of vaccine.
Required Immunizations for School
If the requirements have not been met you will receive notification from your school nurse. This may mean that your child cannot attend school until they are in compliance.
Religious and medical exceptions are permitted – submit documentation to the school.
Health Forms
Health information is only shared with school nurses and those faculty responsible for the student’s safety in class. Please keep these forms updated annually.
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Charlottesville Schools Release of Medical Information
updated 8/2024
Permission for school nurses to give and receive information directly to/from your health provider
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UVA Release of Information Form
Required for our schools to exchange information with UVA providers.
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VHSL Athletic Participation Physical Form
give to your coach or the school office
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TBD
When Should My Child Stay Home Sick?
Your child may go to school with a mild runny nose or cough, but keep your child home when they have:
- Fever (100.0°F+) within the last 24 hours without taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Uncontrolled cough or nasal drainage
- Diarrhea or vomiting within the last 24 hours
Returning to school after extended illness or injury
When a child is coming back to school after an extended illness or injury, they may require a special accommodation in school (for example: non-participation in PE class, a need to use the elevator, or the frequent need to use the restroom). In that case, please provide the nurse’s office a note or prescription from a health care provider describing what is needed and for how many days.
Other reasons to stay home:
- Red, crusty, or itchy and draining eyes
- If they have any other untreated contagious disease such as impetigo or conjunctivitis.
If the student has tested positive or been diagnosed with a respiratory virus such as flu, RSV, COVID, or pertussis (whooping cough), follow your doctor’s recommendations for when to return to school.
Return to school when...
- Overall symptoms are improving AND
- No fever for 24 hours without taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- No vomiting or diarrhea in last 24 hours
- Your child is able to maintain concentration, manage in the school building for a whole school day, and manage their respiratory secretions.
For some communicable diseases, the nurse’s office may need to receive a note from the health care provider stating that the child has received adequate treatment.
Allergies and Chronic Conditions
Our schools work collaboratively with students and families to manage conditions like severe allergies, asthma, diabetes, seizures, and other long-term health needs.
Any student that has a health condition requiring care at school must have a student health care plan that is updated with each new school year. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure that student health care plans are up to date. See our healthforms. Any revisions that are made during the school year will replace the previous health care plan.
Medications at School
If a student must take a dose of medication at school, or if medication needs to be available on an as-needed basis, students can safely store and take their medications in the nurse’s office.
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To take a medication at school, the following requirements must be in place:
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An annual Medication Permission signed by doctor and parent/guardian. (See #HealthForms)
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Prescription medication must be in a container that has been labeled by the pharmacy and has the most current prescription date. Over-the-counter medication must be in a sealed, unopened new bottle.
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Parent/guardian must deliver medication to the school clinic, as students are not permitted to transport medication.
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Medicines must be picked up at year’s end or they will be disposed.
NOTE: Students do better when taking medications at home. For example, medications that need to be taken 3 times a day can be timed so that the student takes a dose before the school day, one after school, and one dose at bedtime.
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With parental consent, written approval from the provider, and notification to the school nurse, a student may carry medications for conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and allergy. Students may also carry an opioid antagonist and a seizure rescue medication.
In addition, students in grades 9-12 may also have and self-administer nonprescription medication if they fill out the Self-Administer Medication Permission Form
School Health Screenings
Charlottesville City Schools conducts routine health screenings to detect possible issues that could impact learning.
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Screening for vision and hearing is state-mandated and is conducted routinely for all students in kindergarten and grades 3, 7, and 10. Screening is also conducted for all students new to public school. Charlottesville City Schools may recognize screenings reported as part of the child’s school entrance health form.
Hearing
The hearing screening program is not a comprehensive exam–it is just a screening to detect possible hearing deficits in children that may be affecting their academic success. If the screening test shows that the child may have a deficit, it is important that a complete exam be scheduled with a hearing or vision specialist to diagnose the problem and determine if treatment is needed.
- If a child’s screens indicate a possible problem the parent will receive written documentation of the results and recommendations for what steps to take next to have the child professionally evaluated. It is also requested that parents let the school know how they will address the problem, by checking the appropriate box and returning the form to the school nurse as soon as possible.
Vision
Charlottesville City Schools partners with Conexus to provide comprehensive vision screenings and exams. Children in the required grades will automatically be screened. If your child is not in kindergarten or grades 3, 7, and 10 and you suspect a vision deficit, please contact your school nurse to complete the necessary permissions to be screened.
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Students will be screened in the areas of speech, voice, and language by classroom teachers under the supervision of a speech language pathologist to determine if a referral for an evaluation for special education and related services is needed.
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Students will be screened in the area of fine motor and gross motor to determine if a referral for an evaluation for special education and related services is needed.
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Schools provide parents with information about scoliosis and encourage them to check with their health care provider if they have any concerns.
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Charlottesville City Schools does not assess Height & Weight (BMI).
Student Mental Health & Wellness
Charlottesville City Schools recognizes the strong link between a child’s social, emotional, and physical health and their ability to learn. Schools also play an important role in teaching children about wellness.
Need immediate help?
If you need to reach someone immediately for crisis support for your child and it is after-school hours or you do not get an immediate response from school staff, here are a list of community-based crisis supports:
- Region Ten Emergency Services: 434-972-1800 (24 hr)
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 (24 hr)
- Region 1 Mobile Crisis Line: 1-800-970-5897 (M–F 12–7:30pm)
- ReadyKids: 434-972-7233 (24 hour hotline)
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 (24 hr)
- LGBTQ+ Youth Support Line/Side by Side: 1-888-644-4390 (Ages 14–20)
For an immediate crisis, call 911 or go to the hospital
Student Health Insurance
Does your child need health insurance? FAMIS is Virginia’s health insurance program for qualifying children.
To Learn More: Visit Coverva or
Call Toll Free 1-855-242-8282.
School Health Advisory Board
The School Health Advisory Board—made up of health professionals, community agencies, parents, educators and students—advises the School Board in the development and evaluation of our Wellness Policy and programs that support the health and well-being of students, families, and school staff.