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Health Services

Student health and safety is a cooperative effort between home and school.

The health and safety of all students at ICS is of utmost importance and is a cooperative effort between home and school. We rely on families to make sure that each child has a good night’s rest and is healthy enough to be at school. We encourage families to contact our school nurse, Rosa Tomlinson at 401-721-0824, ext. 106, if you have any questions or concerns. 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

We are actively monitoring information about COVID-19 and are following guidance from the the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the RI Department of Health. Here are some useful resources for our community.   

Rhode Island Department of Health Resources:

COVID-19 Information for Families

Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with COVID-19

Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – A Parent Resource

Hable con sus hijos sobre el COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – Un recurso para padres 

Helping Children Cope with Changes Resulting from COVID-19

Tools to Regulate Mind, Body & Emotions During COVID-19 

Distinguishing the Difference: COVID-19 vs. Allergies vs. Flu

Distinguir la Diferencia: COVID-19 vs. Alergias vs. Gripe

COVID-19 Quarantine vs. Isolation

COVID-19: Diferencia entre cuarentena y aislamiento

CDC Symptoms of COVID-19

CDC Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Síntomas del coronavirus (COVID-19)

Uso de mascarillas para ayudar a desacelerar la propagación del COVID-19

Helping Your Child to Wear a Mask

Resources for Kids:

Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus

BrainPOP Video for Young Children on Coronavirus

Coronavirus Book for Kids in English

Coronavirus Book for Kids in Spanish

Coronavirus Book for Kids in Portuguese

COVID-19 Testing for Students and Staff

The RI Dept. of Health has provided information about RI’s testing program for Pre K-12 students and staff. To schedule a test, call 844-857-1814, 7 days a week from 7:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. This service line is only for Pre K-12 staff and students who have COVID-19 symptoms or who have been identified as a close contact of a positive case or a classmate of a positive case. Services are available in multiple languages. 

Illness or Injury

In the event of illness or injury:

  • No child should be sent to school if he or she has symptoms such as severe cold, fever, sore throat, diarrhea, red itchy eyes with any drainage, vomiting, rash, or any other symptom of a contagious disease. 
  • If a child is well enough to return to school, he or she should be able to participate in all activities.
  • If a child has an injury that requires crutches or a cast, etc., he or she should return to school with a note from the parent and/or doctor citing limitations, if any, and procedures for going home.
  • Students who are sent home from school with a fever should not return to school until they are free of fever (<100) for 24 hours without the support of fever-reducing medication. This policy is in place to protect both the child recovering from an illness who has a weakened resistance and is susceptible to other illnesses, and other students from any lingering illness the child may have.

Please review the Guidelines for Keeping Sick Children Home.

Medical Emergencies

If an illness or injury requires treatment at a hospital, ICS’s school nurse or other staff member will call the paramedics and the student will be transported to the hospital. This is EMT policy. Every attempt will be made to contact the family as soon as possible. A school representative will always accompany the child to the hospital and await the arrival of a family member.

School Medications

If your child has medication prescribed by a physician, arrangements must be made with the school nurse for dispensing during school time. State law requires a Medical Authorization & Consent Form be completed and signed by the doctor and the parent. Children are not allowed to carry medication to school to take on their own (e.g., Tylenol, throat lozenges). All medications must be given to the school nurse with the signed consent form. A parent or guardian must supply the medication (prescription and nonprescription) in the original properly labeled pharmacy bottle with the child’s name. The school nurse will then make arrangements regarding the time the student will come to the health office to receive the medication. Parents are welcome to come to school to administer the medication. Epi-pens, Inhalers, and injectable medications require a separate authorization form. All medications must be hand-delivered to the health office by the parent/guardian.

Allergies

Please notify our School Nurse if your child has any allergies/reactions to food or medications. Certain classrooms at ICS are designated as peanut/tree nut-free classrooms. Even though your child may or may not have a peanut/tree nut allergy, your child may be placed in a peanut/tree nut-free classroom and you will be notified. Once you are notified please do not send snacks into the classroom for the safety of the child with an allergy. 

 

Please review the guidelines that are in place to ensure the safety of all students:

  • Please do not send any peanuts, tree nuts, peanut butter, or foods containing peanuts or peanut butter to be eaten as a snack in the classroom. Check the ingredients listed on all food labels to be sure. If the label says “manufactured on equipment that processes peanuts/tree nuts” this cannot be sent in for a classroom snack. It is fine to send these products for lunch, which is eaten in the cafeteria. 
  • ICS provides a peanut/tree nut-free table table in the cafeteria for those students with a peanut/tree nut allergy.
  • ICS will request that all children in school who eat peanut butter or tree nut products for lunch/snack wash their hands with soap and water. Similarly, if your child ate these products for breakfast at home, please make sure their hands are washed before leaving for school. Hand sanitizer and water alone does not remove the allergen.

School Uniforms

At times, students may soil or rip their clothing. Thanks to the parents/guardians who have donated outgrown uniforms, we usually have clothes for them to wear home. Please return these items washed as soon as possible so they are available for other students. If your child has ongoing bathroom issues, please send an extra change of clothes that they can have in their cubbies for personal use.

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