Shelley Spencer, MSN,RN
SCHOOL NURSE

      NOTES FROM THE NURSE

In an effort to keep us healthy at Benold, please remember the following :

• Wash away germs:  Please encourage your child to wash hands with soap before eating, after using the bathroom and as needed to prevent the spread of germs. We have installed hand sanitizers in the cafeteria as well as other locations in the school to facilitate handwashing.
• Check temperature at home: If your child feels ill, please check temperature with a thermometer at home.  Students with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher at home in the morning should not come to school. Temperature normally is lower in the morning and rises during the day.  Any child seen in the clinic with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will be sent home.  School policy states “a student needs to be free of fever (less than 100.4 degrees) for twenty-four (24) hours without the use of Tylenol, Advil, or other products taken to lower temperature, before returning to school”.  Fever is one of our body's natural defenses to let us know that we are ill and probably contagious. Please follow the policy to prevent a relapse and more serious illness of your child and spreading the illness to others here at school. Notify our attendance secretary, Michelle Stewart @ 943-5092, if your child will not be in school.  Send a note when your child returns.
• If your child is diagnosed with flu or has flu-like symptoms (high fever, aches and pains) please notify me as we are required to turn in numbers to the health department.  You may call me at 943-5091 or email me at zennern@georgetownisd.org or make the attendance secretary aware.
• Sharing is not always a good thing: Encourage your son or daughter not to share food or drink with other people and to cough or sneeze into their "sleeve".  To watch the video that describes this "new method of coughing or sneezing in your sleeve, go to http://www.coughsafe.com/media.html
•   If your child needs medication administered here at school, the medication must be brought to school in its original container with a note from the parent/guardian giving the name of the medicine, the dosage to administer and the time to administer.  You may download a form for PRN medication here.  Download PRN medication form
• Contagious conditions: Please notify us if your child is diagnosed with a contagious condition such as strept throat or chickenpox.  Please ask your physician for guidelines on when the student may return to school following the illness. If your child shows signs of a skin infection that is red, swollen and containing pus, do not pop or open sore.  Consult your doctor as this may be a staph infection and may require treatment. 
• See the following web site  from the Center for Disease Control for more information about the flu or other communicable illnesses: http://www.cdc.gov

Keep us informed so we can better serve your child.

Keep us updated with current phone numbers.  If your home number, work number, cell phone number  or email changes, please keep us informed so we can contact you when needed.  If your child develops new health problems, please notify me.  For your child's safety and well-being, some information may need to be shared with your child's teachers as well.

Immunizations need to be updated on school record. 

See the attached link on immunizations to check requirements.  Many 8th grade students will be needing a tetanus/diphtheria booster during the school year or during the summer.  Please send an official copy to school so we can update our records.  If your child receives immunizations during a visit for an athletic physical, make sure you get a separate record for the nurse of the immunization.  We never see athletic physical forms. If you wish to apply for a conscientious objection form for immunizations, you may write to the Texas Department of State Health Services @ 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756.  You may also apply for these forms online @ https://webds.dshs.state.tx.us/immco/affidavit.shtm

The Williamson County and Cities Health Department gives immunizations on a sliding scale fee.  To learn more about the services that they offer or clinic hours, please visit their informational website at www.wcchd.org.

Students with incomplete shot records may be excluded from school or not allowed to start school until shot records have been updated or a conscientious objection form is completed, notarized and turned in to the school nurse. 

Interested in low cost insurance and health care for your children? 

The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) covers children from birth through age 18 whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.  If you are interested in seeing if your children qualify, see me or call 1-800-647-6558 Monday - Friday 9 AM - 9 PM or Saturday 9 AM - 3 PM. You may also access more information at the following sites: 

http://www.insureakid.org

http://www.texcarepartnership.com

Georgetown Community Clinic (Lone Star Circle of Care) offers health care on a sliding scale fee for persons of all ages with no insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP.  (No private insurance patients are accepted).  The clinic hours are Monday through Friday from 8 AM - 5:30 PM.  The clinic is located at 701 E. University Avenue.  For an appointment, call 512-863-9208. The new pediatric clinic is located across the street and their phone number is 930-5437.

Back to home page

Benold Middle School

Georgetown Independent School District

 updated:  08/18/09 12:48 PM