Nurse’s Office

Welcome to the Middleburgh Elementary School Health Office.

Student Physicals 

A physical is required for the following elementary school students:

• New students registering at the elementary school
• Pre-K students
• Kindergarten students
• First grade
• Third grade
• Fifth grade

School physicals may be done in the child’s birth month if required for insurance purpose. Otherwise, they should be done prior to entering appropriate grade levels.

Physicals can be done at the school if your child is enrolled in the school-based health center.

If the physical is done outside of school, please turn in completed physical to the school nurse along with any updated immunizations. To contact the School-Based Health Center, call 518- 827-3793.

Dental Health

New York State Law (Chapter 281) permits schools to request an oral health assessment at the same time a health examination is required.  

Taking Medications in School

Here is a letter from the nurse to parents about the use of medicines at school.

NYS Guidelines: Every effort should be made to administer medications outside of the school setting.

If medications are to be administered in school, they must be accompanied by a prescription from their primary care provider and a note from the parent or guardian giving permission for the medication to be taken at school.

All medications are to brought in a properly labeled container labeled with the student’s name, name of the medication, dose and strength, and what it is being given for, time medication is to be given, and student’s grade. This applies to all medications, including those sold over the counter such as Tylenol (Acetaminophen) or Motrin and Advil (Ibuprofen).

Parents MUST bring medication to school nurse. It is not appropriate for students to carry medications on the bus or in their backpacks.

Please remember to pick up your child’s medication by the last day of school. Medications will not be sent home with students.

Immunizations

Please click here for the district’s policy on immunizations.

COVID-19 vaccinations are not required to attend school. Children six months and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Children older than five are eligible for a booster. 

To find other vaccination sites, go to this link – ny.gov/vaxtoschool. 

Just a reminder that vaccinations can be given at the school-based health center as well as physicals. If you haven’t enrolled your child and would like an enrollment form, you can call the school nurse at 518-827-3686.

Respiratory Illnesses

The updated CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance utilizes a unified approach to addressing risks from common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV.  

If a student shows symptoms of any of these viruses, CDC recommends keeping them home, and returning to normal activities only after:

• Symptoms are getting better overall, and 
• They no longer have a fever without the use of fever-reducing medication. 

Once the child resumes normal activities, CDC recommends taking extra precautions for the next five days. This includes wearing a well-fitting mask, maintaining a safe distance from others and practicing good hygiene.

If the student develops a fever or starts to feel worse, they should stay home and away from others again. They should use the same criteria for returning to normal activities as  when they first had symptoms and take added precautions over the next 5 days.

Remind your student about preventing the spread of disease. Teach them to:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds (long enough to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice). Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue. (If a tissue is used, throw the tissue away immediately).
• Stay at least six feet away from people who are sick.