Nurse's Corner
Our school clinic is staffed each day by two wonderful women! Maureen Duru is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and also a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse. Mrs. Duru has 12 years of nursing experience. Mrs. Duru works in our school clinic on Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Tuesday.
Anna Lee is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has been a nurse for 10 years including roles as a school nurse, pre- & post-anesthesia care staff nurse and preceptor, and a critical care staff curse & preceptor. Mrs. Lee is in the clinic on Thursdays and Fridays.
The role of our school nurse is to provide health and nursing services for students in grades Pre K-8. The goal of the nurse's office is to support the educational process by promoting optimum wellness, monitoring students' immunization status and working closely with parents/guardians, teachers, and administrators; assessing and evaluating the health needs of students, and accommodating students with specific health concerns.
The clinic hours are 7:45 am - 3:45 pm. each school day.
Our school clinic team can be reached by email at schoolnurse@sjcstx.net
or on the direct line at school: 972-692-4533 or through the main school line: 972-234-4679.
Should I send my child to school? How to know!
Many parents ask, “When is my child sick enough to stay home from school?” This is not always an easy question to answer! We hope that these tips can help.
A child who is sick will not be able to perform well in school and is likely to spread the illness to other children and staff. We suggest making a plan for childcare ahead of time so you will not be caught without a comforting place for your child to stay if he/she is ill.
Our school policy states that you should not send your child to school if he/she has:
- Fever in the past 24 hours
- Vomiting in the past 24 hours
- Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
- Chills
- Sore throat
- Strep Throat (must have been taking an antibiotic for at least 24 hours and fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication before returning to school)
- Bad cold, with a very runny nose or bad cough, especially if it has kept the child awake at night.
- Head lice – until your child has been treated according to the nurse or doctor’s instructions.
- Pink eye – until the doctor determines your child may return with a written release.
- Impetigo – may return to school when the blisters and drainage can be contained and maintained in a clean, dry bandage.
- Hand, foot, and mouth disease – your child can return to school when fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
If your child becomes ill at school and the teacher or school nurse feel the child is too sick to benefit from school or is contagious to other children, you will be called to come and take him/her home from school. It is essential that the school nurse have a phone number where you can be contacted during the day and an emergency number in the event you cannot be reached. Please be sure that arrangements can be made to transport your child home from school and that childcare is available in case of illness. If your daytime or emergency phone number changes during the year, please notify the school immediately.
Please email or call the nurse’s office if you have any questions or concerns.
972-234-4679, schoolnurse@sjcstx.net
COVID-19 Protocols for Fall 2023
Given the ever-evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of vaccines, and treatments, adjustments have been made for this fall semester regarding the COVID-19 policies. Cleaning and disinfection will continue, as well as the use of our HEPA filtration systems.
- Any student experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home from school and parents contact the school nurse by phone or email.
- In accordance with CDC guidance, if your child tests positive for COVID-19, they must isolate at home for 5 days.
- Day 0 is the first day of symptoms or a positive viral test. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed or your test specimen was collected.
- Your child may end isolation after day 5 if they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving.
- The child may return to school on the sixth day if they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving with a well-fitting mask, which will need to be worn until after day 10.
Students are free to wear masks for their own protection, but the school will not provide masks and the use of masks is not mandated. We will continue to monitor the ever-changing situation and adjust as necessary throughout the year.
Exposure/Contact with Covid positive person
What if one of my children has Covid, do I keep the other children home if they are negative and/or not showing any symptoms?
If the other children do not have symptoms, they can come to school wearing a well-fitting mask for minimum of 5 days. If they start showing symptoms with the 5 days, please keep them home, have them tested and contact the school nurse by email or phone call.
Do I keep my children at home if we have been exposed or in contact with Covid positive person?
If exposed or in contact with Covid positive person and do not have any symptoms, the children can come to school wearing a well-fitting mask for minimum of 5 days. If they start showing symptoms with the 5 days, please keep them home, have them tested and contact the school nurse by email or phone call.
Immunization Checklist for Students Grades PreK-6
Following is the list of immunization requirements as per the TX Department of Health Services:
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP): 5 doses, 1 of which must have been received on or after the 4th birthday. Or, if the 4th dose was administered on or after the 4th birthday, only 4 doses are required.
Polio: 4 doses, 1 of which must have been received on or after the 4th birthday. Or, if the 3rd dose was administered on or after the 4th birthday, only 3 doses are required.
Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR): 2 doses
Hepatitis B: 3 doses
Varicella (Chicken pox): 2 doses
Hepatitis A: 2 doses
HIB: 4 doses
PCV (Pneumococcal): 4 doses
These immunizations must be received and documentation of same submitted to the school nurse prior to the 1st day of school in order for your child to attend class. You may email or submit the record personally. We anticipate immunization clinics and pediatricians’ offices to be quite busy, so we recommend that these immunizations be received as soon as possible. If you have already submitted your child’s immunization form, the nurse will contact you only if the form is incomplete.
If you need information about low-cost or free immunization clinics, please check the website for your municipality or county. You will need to take along a copy of your child’s immunizations to date.
Immunization Checklist for Students Grades 7&8
Dear Parent/Guardian of all incoming 7th and any new 8th graders,
Per Texas Dept. of Health Services:
In addition to immunizations required to have begun Kindergarten, there are two that are required to begin 7th grade:
Tdap: 1 dose
Meningitis: 1 dose
These immunizations must be received and documentation of same submitted to the school nurse prior to the 1st day of school in order for your child to attend class. Please do not wait until the last minute to submit if possible.
The immunization requirements are statewide, and we anticipate immunization clinics and pediatricians’ offices to be quite busy, so we recommend that these immunizations be received as soon as possible. If you would like a list of free or nominal charge immunization clinics, please go to the website for your local municipality or county. You will need to take along a copy of your child’s immunizations to date.
If you have questions about whether your child has received these immunizations, we would be happy to check the immunization record on file at school. However, this record is not always current unless you have submitted an updated record for any immunizations(s) your child may have received since PreK.