School Nurses and Health Services

Our School Nurses, in collaboration with family, staff and community involvement, strive to maximize student learning and to create a healthy school environment. With a focus on primary prevention and holistic care, the School Nurses facilitate learning by helping your child be physically and mentally healthy. Our students' wellbeing is our top priority. 

 

If you are unsure whether or not to keep your child home from school, please contact your school nurse. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year we have strict guidelines which all families must follow. When your child has symptoms or exposure as indicated on the daily symptom screener, you must keep you child home from school. Please contact your healthcare provider and follow guidance for COVID-19 testing. You must provide the Medical Evaluation for COVID-19 Concern for your child to return to school. Please see Health Protocols for 2020-2021 on the home page of the district website for comprehensive information.  

Please review the New Jersey Department of Health Immunization Guide for the minimum required number of vaccine doses (shots) that children must have in order to attend a New Jersey public school. 

All students must be age-appropriately vaccinated for the grade they are entering. The New Jersey Department of Health recommends following the immunization schedule listed on the CDC website. 

 

If you are moving to the United States from another country, please check with your school nurse to see if you will need a TB test. 
 

All kindergarteners, 3rd, 6th, 9th and 11th graders, and all new students entering the district are required to have physical exams by a primary care physician. You must have your physician complete the Physical Exam Form - PHS/PUMS and/or Physical Exam Form - Elementary. Physical exam reports from up to one year prior to the student's start date will be accepted. If you are moving to the United States and want to participate in a school sport, you must have a physical in the U.S.

School nurses also conduct health screenings periodically as required by the New Jersey Department of Education. These screenings may include checking a student's height, weight, blood pressure, vision, and hearing, and checking for scoliosis. 

The School Nurse or a child’s parent/guardian are the only individuals authorized to dispense medication in the school and on school trips. Children are not allowed to carry their own medication. Rules for medication apply to prescription and non-prescription medicines. EpiPens and asthma inhalers may be carried by the student, provided there is written documentation by the student’s physician given to the nurse each school year. 

Students who are interested in participating in a sport at Princeton High School or John Witherspoon Middle School are required to complete the forms listed on the athletics site and submit the completed forms to the school nurse. Student athletes must also have a physical exam on file. Follow guidelines on Athletic website.

Forms must be submitted prior to the start of each season and cannot be submitted more than 90 days before a season begins.

 

If you are unsure whether or not to keep your child home from school, please contact your school nurse.

How do I report if my child will be absent?

Please call the attendance line for your child's school. 

 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year we have strict guidelines which all families must follow. When your child has symptoms or exposure as indicated on the daily symptom screener, you must keep you child home from school. Please contact your healthcare provider and follow guidance for COVID-19 testing. You must provide the Medical Evaluation for COVID-19 Concern for your child to return to school. Please see Health Protocols for 2020-2021 on the home page of the district website for comprehensive information.  

If you are unsure whether or not to keep your child home from school, please contact your school nurse. 

 

We follow the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC regarding the treatment for lice. Any time a student shows evidence of head lice, either with the presence of live lice or the presence of new nits, we will notify that student's parents and provide information for proper treatment.

We encourage parents to be proactive with lice and check their child's head and hair on a regular basis. Symptoms of lice include frequent scratching or complaints of itching. 

Read the CDC's information about head lice and recommended treatment. 

 

Every student is expected to participate in their physical education classes. Exemptions from physical education may be granted for up to one week at the written request of the parent or guardian. If your child needs an exemption beyond a week, you will need to bring in a note from your physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner. The school nurse may require periodic evaluations, examinations, or renewals for continued exemptions from physical education activities.

 

The Princeton Public School District provides Accident Insurance coverage on an excess basis. This means that only those medical expenses, which are NOT payable by your own personal or group insurance, are eligible for coverage under this policy, up to the policy's limits. 

To file an injury claim, please complete the accident insurance application and follow the instructions on the form. 

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