Maryland Department of Health requires all 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade students in the State of Maryland to have a single dose of Tdap AND a single dose of Meningococcal vaccine (MCV4) BEFORE beginning the 21-22 school year.
Failure to provide proof of updated immunizations by the first day of school, or to provide evidence of an appointment to receive those immunizations within 20 calendar days from the first day of school, will result in your student being excluded from school on the first day. If you have any questions, please contact the Nurse’s Office at 410-313-6988. If you have gotten this letter but your child is up to date with the above immunizations, please provide the documentation to the school nurse by e-mail to kasey_margelos@hcpss.org or Tonya_Barksdale@hcpss.org. Immunization records may also be faxed to the EMMS Nurse’s Office at 410-465-1542.
Students who become ill while at school must come to the health room to be evaluated. Please discuss with your student that he/she should not use his/her cell phone to call/text parents for pick-up during the school day. Students who feel ill must report directly to the health room and parents will be contacted, as needed, once students are seen by our nurse. If your child calls/texts you during the school day, please tell him/her to go to the health room and the staff will contact you directly.
If you have questions, please contact our Cluster Nurse, Kasey Margelos or Health Assistant, Tonya Barksdale. Thank you very much for helping keep all our students healthy!
This is a reminder that good hand washing and covering sneezes and coughs with tissues and sleeves are essential steps to preventing the spread of "germs." Also, remember that despite concerns about school attendance, your children's health (and the health of other children) is most important of all. For this reason, we ask you to please:
Call the school nurse to let us know if your child is absent with a contagious illness such as strep throat, or the flu etc.
Please provide any documentation from your physician about diagnosis and release to return to school. (Ear and sinus infections, while often a reason for keeping a child home, are usually not contagious.)
Keep your child home if he/she has a fever of over 100.0.
A fever indicates that your child has an infection that could be passed to other students. If you give your child Motrin or Tylenol, the fever will, of course, disappear but he/she will still be contagious to others. Children must be fever-free for 24 hours (without medication) before returning to school!
Have your children was htheir hands properly after using the restrooms and prior to eating.
If the doctor prescribes medication for your child, please make sure he/she takes it as directed-which means the right amount at the right time and without missing doses.