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Barb Ratliff, RN
[email protected]
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WELCOME BACK WILDCATS!!!!                                                                    

Hello, everyone and welcome back to the 2022-2023 school year!  My name is Barb Ratliff and this is my 9th year as the school nurse at Stewartsville Elementary. Our clinic is open daily from 7:20 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need to discuss your child’s health concern/medication with me.  The school number is (540) 890-2174.

 

Important items as we move forward in the year:

Sick Child

Please keep your child home from school if he/she has a fever (100.0 and above), vomiting, repeated episodes of diarrhea, persistent cough, or an unidentified rash.  Children must be fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications for 24 hours before returning to school. Therefore, if your child is sent home with a fever he/she will not be able to attend the next day. Anyone picking up your child should have a valid ID to complete the sign out process.  Children should be free from vomiting, diarrhea, and severe stomach cramping for 24 hours prior to returning to school. If your child has strep throat or other bacterial infection, he/she should be on antibiotics for 24 hours before returning.

 

For any COVID related illnesses or quarantines please follow the Virginia Department of

Health guidelines for return to school and consult directly with the school nurse.

 

https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/get-the-latest-guidance/k-12-education-and-

child-care/

 

Health Concerns

If your child has a chronic health condition that requires medication or other treatment at

school, please be sure that the nurse has a care plan and all appropriate documentation on file,

as well as any medications ordered. Documentation is required for us to be able to serve and

care for your child in accordance with his/her doctor’s orders. If you have any questions or need

additional copies of forms please contact the nurse. Lack of an appropriate care plan may result

in a 911 call if your child begins to have complications with his/her medical condition while at

school.

 

Medications

If your child needs to take medicine at school, the “Permission to Dispense Medication Form”

must be completed and signed by a parent/guardian. Prescription medications must have

signature from a physician. All medication (over the counter or prescription) must be

transported to school by a parent or guardian in the original container. If it is a prescription

medication, it must have the prescription label from the pharmacy with it. All over the counter

medications must be in the original, unopened container.

 

 

SchoolCare

If you have not already, please be sure to register for SchoolCare so that you receive

notification of your child(ren)’s clinic visits.

https://secure.caredox.com/enroll/stewartsville-elementary-school-pre-k-2022-23

 

Invitations have been sent out if your email is on file with the school so check your

inboxes and spam folders please.

 

Vision & Hearing Screenings

During the fall, we will have our yearly vision and hearing screenings for Kindergarten, (unless previously done with the school entrance physical), 3^rd graders, and all students who are new to Bedford County.  Please make every effort to have your child present at school those days and assure they are wearing their glasses or contact lenses, if they have them.  Lastly, during the months of September and October, the Speech-Language Pathologist will conduct speech-language screenings for all PreK, K, and new transfer students.  If you do not want your child screened, you must notify the school by sending a written note to the clinic stating your request.

 

Tips to Keep Your Child Healthy Ready to Learn

● Keep them up-to-date with vaccines

● Review proper hand washing and how to cough/sneeze into their elbow

● Make sure they get a good night's sleep

● Give them a healthy breakfast at home or at school

● Send them to school with a water bottle daily & encourage them to drink it

● Send a change of clothes, even for older children- spills, falls in mud, wet slides, and

accidents all happen

● Send tennis shoes/sneakers for PE

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.

I hope you all are settling into the new school routine and I look forward to helping your children have a safe and healthy 2022-2023 school year.

 

Barb Ratliff, RN

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Hand washing videos for children:
 
Grades K - 2:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMbCZfb5k3M

Grades 3 and 4:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBGsoimPXZg

If you are called by the clinic to come pick up your student please make prompt arrangements to do so- in less than one hour. Please keep all emergency contact information up to date.

 

 

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Please refer to the BCPS information sheet on eating disorders recommended for parents of student grades 5-12:

Eating disorders parent info. sheet

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Please see that attached letter from the VA Department of Health regarding the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series:

HPV letter - English

Spanish version:
HPV letter - Spanish