In Glens Falls City Schools, we value the health, safety, and well-being of every student and staff member. We are committed to our mission of “providing a safe, positive and stimulating environment” for learning — by providing health assessment and health information to enhance the quality of education and the quality of life for our students.
School-Based Health Services
School health services at GFSD are provided by professional registered nurses, and at times, Dr. Cunningham, our school physician. Our school nurses provide a variety of school health services, functions and programs.
In addition to giving first aid and assisting students who have accidents or are ill during school hours, the nurse is available to advise students regarding problems, health and hygiene. The nurse also maintains the students’ health records and is responsible to see that all required medical examinations and inoculations are up-to-date.
Illness and Injury
Whenever children are together in large groups, concerns arise regarding the transmission of communicable diseases. The following guidelines have been developed to optimize the health and school attendance of all children:
- A child is to remain out of school for 24 hours following the last incidence of fever over 100 degrees, vomiting or diarrhea.
- A child should remain out of school if he/she is actively coughing or sneezing.
- A child will not be allowed to attend school if any unidentified rash is present.
- If diagnosed with strep throat or conjunctivitis (pink eye), the child must be on medication for 24 hours before returning to school.
The nurse evaluates incidents of illness and injury in school. If she deems the child too ill or requiring further medical evaluation, she will notify the parent or other designated responsible party. A parent or another responsible adult is expected to pick the child up in the Health Office promptly. In selecting an individual to act as an emergency contact for your child, please ensure that they live locally, can be available if needed, can arrange transportation, and have the authority to seek medical care for your child in your absence.
Child Protective Services Investigations
Consistent with the district’s commitment to keep students safe from harm and the obligation of school officials to report to child protective services when they have reasonable cause to suspect that a student has been abused or maltreated, the district will cooperate with local child protective services workers who wish to conduct interviews of students on school property relating to allegations of suspected child abuse, and/or neglect, or custody investigations.
All requests by child protective services to interview a student on school property shall be made directly to the building principal or his or her designee. The building principal or his or her designee shall set the time and place of the interview. The building principal or his or her designee shall decide if it is necessary and appropriate for a school official to be present during the interview, depending on the age of the student being interviewed and the nature of the allegations. If the nature of the allegations is such that it may be necessary for the student to remove any of his or her clothing in order for the child protective services worker to verify the allegations, the school nurse or other district medical personnel must be present during that portion of the interview. No student may be required to remove his or her clothing in front of a child protective services worker or school district official of the opposite sex.
A child protective services worker may not remove a student from school property without a court order, unless the worker reasonably believes that the student would be subject to danger or abuse if not he or she was not removed from school before a court order can reasonably be obtained. If the worker believes the student would be subject to danger of abuse, the worker may remove the student without a court order and without the parent’s consent.
