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. 

 

When to Keep Your Child Home From School

Please do not send your child to school if they have any of the symptoms listed below.  If you are unsure of any symptoms, contact your school nurse for further guidance before sending your child to school.  

• Fever of 100 F or above- stay home for 24 hours after fever is gone, without using fever-reducing medication
• Headaches
• Sore Throat
• Chills
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Body Aches
• Vomiting and/or Diarrhea – must be diarrhea/vomit free for 24 hours                         

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY CHILD HAS ANY OF THESE SIGNS?
If your child has any of these symptoms when it is time for school, it is best that she/he/they stay home. 

NOTE: If your child has BOTH a fever of 100° F or more AND a sore throat or cough, it may be the flu and/or Covid.  Report these symptoms immediately to your healthcare provider and to your child's school.

WHEN CAN MY CHILD RETURN TO SCHOOL AFTER AN ILLNESS?
Generally, your child may return to school when he/she is symptom free of an illness. However, there may be times when it is necessary for your child to see your health care provider before returning to school.

Any child with a fever above 100°F with flu-like symptoms must stay home at least 24 hours after their fever is gone, without using fever-reducing medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen; and, regardless of whether or not they are using antiviral drugs as the CDC recommends BEFORE returning to school.  

Please note: A child that misses three consecutive school days must present a doctor’s note in order to return to school.

Please call your school nurse if you have any questions regarding a specific condition.

WHAT IF MY CHILD HAS SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE FLU?
If your child has been diagnosed with a different disease such as strep throat, bronchitis, etc., follow your health care provider's recommendation, when to return to school along with Dr’s. note.

COVID

With the updated guidelines from the NJ Department of Health (4-16-24), we have moved to a model of reduced isolation/quarantine for students who have tested positive for Covid. 

Exclusion and Preventing Transmission: Students and staff with symptoms* of a respiratory virus should stay home and away from others until: 

• The individual is fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication AND 
• Symptoms are improving, which means the individual is no longer feeling ill and able to participate comfortably in educational and other activities as they did before they were ill. Any remaining symptoms, such as cough or runny nose are mild or infrequent. 

Individuals can then return to normal activities, but they should take additional precautions for the next 5 days when they are around other people indoors. These precautions include: 

• Wearing a well-fitting mask for next 5 days 
• Practicing good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette 
• Physical distancing when around others 

*Symptoms can include; fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose, and headache, chest discomfort, chills, cough, decrease in appetite, diarrhea, fatigue (tiredness), fever or feeling feverish, headache, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or smell, runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, vomiting, weakness, wheezing. 

Reporting an Absence

To report an absence at the elementary or middle school level, click here.

Princeton High School

Parents/guardians should report their student absence to the attendance office between 7:00am and 8:30am to report absences for their children in advance. 

In addition, a student returning from an absence must bring a note from a parent/guardian or a physician to the attendance office (located in guidance). If a note is received within 3 days, the absence will be listed as “verified”. Verified absences are counted toward the total for denial of credit. 

Report absence by: 

1. Call 609-806-4280, ext. 3806 

2. Email: phsattendance@princetonk12.org 

3. Power School

Please review the New Jersey Department of Health Immunization Requirements 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/PMS 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 New Jersey.

 

 

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 at Princeton 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.

 

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. If your child needs to be excused from physical education class, you will need to bring in a note from your physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner. The school nurse may require periodic updates from your health care provider for continued exemptions from physical education activities. 

 

The Princeton Public School District provides Accident Insurance coverage. 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 contact your school nurse to obtain an accident insurance form. 

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