Dear Parents,

Welcome to the 2008-2009 School Year.  This part of HHS’ web page will give you information about the school clinic and other health information.  As your School Public Health Nurse I want to help keep the HHS community up to date on health issues.

Introductions are in order:

School PHN—Virginia Wilkinson, MSN, RN, NCSN.  I am currently carrying HHS, HMS and Hutchison ES.  I am responsible for health care plans, inservices, teaching, 504 meetings, and other things requiring a medical professional’s judgment or knowledge base.

Clinic Room Aide—Robin Weinstein is also an employee of the Fairfax County Health Department based at HHS.  You can find her in the clinic when school is open from 7:00 until 2:30. 

Your school health services include: 

1. Care of sick and injured students
2. Administration of medications required during the school day
3. Vision and hearing screening—all 10th grade and new to county students.
   • NOTE:  Our screening will be on 30 and 31 October this year.  If you have a couple of hours that you can give us those days, we will be very grateful for your help.
4. Development of a health care plan for those students with chronic conditions that affect their school day.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU TO ENSURE A HEALTHY AND SAFE DAY FOR YOUR STUDENT:

1. A completely and accurately filled out Emergency Care Card.
   • NOTE:  We MAY NOT release your student to anyone who is NOT on the ECC without your approval
2. Please cooperate when you are asked to come in to sign your child out.  This is a safety measure to protect you and your student
3. Please contact me at 703-481-4072 if you have any questions or if your child has a health condition that impacts his/her school day and might need a health plan
4. If your student needs medications, we are required to strictly follow FCPS regulation 2102.  (For more info see the opening packet and the FCPS website at www.fcps.edu).  This includes:
   • Appropriate forms completely and correctly filled out and on file in the clinic (Forms may be gotten at the clinic or downloaded from the forms page on this website).
   • Medication in an appropriately labeled original container
   • An adult must carry the medication in to the clinic
5. If your child is sick, he/she needs to stay home from school.  Sick children cannot learn or take tests as well because they are concentrating on being sick.  Also, sick children share their germs with their teachers, classmates and bus mates, then we end up with an epidemic of illness.  Students should be fever free and not vomiting for 24 hours, without medication before coming back to school. 

PLEASE feel free to contact me at 703-481-4072 or Virginia.wilkinson@fcps.edu if you have any questions or concerns.

YOUR SCHOOL NURSE:
Virginia Wilkinson, MSN, RN, NCSN
School Public Health Nurse