LMS Nurse's Medical Minute

A MEDICAL MINUTE FROM MRS. WEBB, CSN,

& MRS. BEIDLER, HRN

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year, my name is Karen Webb, and I am the Certified School Nurse for Lionville Middle School. My colleague and fellow nurse is Mrs. Terri Beidler. Below is important information from the health suite, the first of which is of utmost importance.

 

IMMUNIZATIONS: Pennsylvania state mandates students entering 7th grade receive the Tdap (Tetanus) and Meningitis vaccines. If you have questions whether your child’s immunizations are compliant, please contact your health care provider prior to the start of the school year to discuss. If you have not provided up to date documentation, including tetanus and meningitis vaccines, this should be provided to the health room prior to August 25th, 2025. If claiming a medical, religious, moral or ethical exemption, please ensure we have documentation on file stating this. If you are claiming an exemption and need a form, please contact Mrs. Webb via email and the form will be sent. Exemptions need to be renewed each school year. Students whose vaccine records are found non-compliant, without an exemption, or plan to receive necessary vaccines, on file, in writing, risk exclusion from school beginning as early as Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Immunization records should be submitted PRIOR to the start of the school year. Additional information can be found at www.dontwaitvaccinate.pa.gov

 

MEDICATIONS: DASD has standing orders to give Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Tums, and/or EMERGENCY Benadryl, and Epinephrine ONLY. If a parent wishes their student to receive these medications, they must consent to these medications every school year via Online Registration. The health suite cannot administer any other medication to students without physician’s orders DATED ON OR AFTER 7/1/25. If your child has a severe allergy, food or otherwise (Epipen/Auvi-Q/Neffy), asthma-needing an inhaler, or need for daily medication, written MD orders must be on file in the health room. To find the DASD medication administration form go to the DASD homepage > Schools > Lionville Middle School > Resources > Health & Nursing Services > Medication, scroll down and the Authorization for Medication Administration will be seen. *****Please pay special attention to the medication form***** if your student is a self-carry/self-administer. Self-carry/Self-administer (SC/SA) orders can be completed for Epinephrine Auto Injectors, Inhalers & Diabetes supplies (please contact the health room if your child is a diabetic for further discussion) ONLY. If your child is ordered to SC/SA they will undergo nurse competency review, then be permitted to carry their medication. All other meds must be kept in the health room. Please be aware no MD order will be accepted without medication, and no medication will be accepted without an order, so please have both together when dropping off orders/medications. Medications (orders & meds) should always be dropped off by a parent, guardian or caregiver. This enables the nurse to review the order, ensure they are complete, as well as avoid orders going back and forth for corrections, changes or signatures. Please remember the only meds that can be carried or administered by students include inhalers, EpiPen Autoinjectors and diabetic supplies. Parents with students whose MD have ordered Neffy (Intranasal Epinephrine for anaphylaxis) please know at this time the state of PA has NOT approved Neffy to be carried or administered by students in school. If Neffy is ordered for your child the medication must be kept in the health room and only individuals with a medical license, at this time, may administer. As regulations and guidance evolve with this new form of epinephrine, notification will be sent out to parents, guardians & caregivers.

 

SCREENINGS: Health screenings are mandated by the state of Pennsylvania and include height, weight, and vision for 8th graders, and height, weight, vision, hearing, dental and scoliosis for 7th graders. The district dental hygienist will reach out to parents of 7th graders re: dental screenings. 7th grade scoliosis & hearing screenings will begin on Tuesday, September 30, (A Team), Wednesday October 1, (B Team), Tuesday, October 7th (C Team), and Wednesday October 8th (D Team), 2025. Vision screenings for 7th grade will be on Wednesday, October 22, & 8th grade on Thursday, October 23. Please make a note of these dates and remind your student to wear/bring their contact lenses/glasses with them for testing. Heights and weights will be completed during PE class. Any student not taking PE will be measured in the health room. If you do not want your child screened, the health room requires a written/email note from the parent. Notes declining screening should be sent to the attention of Mrs. Webb in the health room. Parents who decline state mandated health screenings are responsible for providing the mandated screening information to the health room for documentation on their students screening page.

 

CONCUSSIONS: Whether mild or severe all concussions are serious. The DASD has policy and procedures in place for students diagnosed with concussion, whether sustained in or outside of school. If your student has sustained a head injury or has concussive like symptoms from a head injury during the school year, please contact the nurse. If your student sustains an injury outside of school and you, a coach or any other individual suspects a concussion please seek medical attention immediately. For school related head injuries, a parent is notified & documentation sent home. Information concerning concussions is important, and since most concussions are usually sustained during competitions, practices or games, parents, nurses, teachers and coaches should all work together for the health & safety of the student’s brain.

 

LMS Health suite hours officially begin Monday, August 25, 2025, from 7:30am through 3:00pm daily.  If you would like to drop off medication orders, medications, medical supplies, or wish to meet with her please feel free to email, kwebb@dasd.org or call 610-524-6300 ext. 36020. Please leave a detailed message concerning your child. NOTE: Main office staff do NOT accept MD orders or medications.

As always, thank you for the opportunity to care for your student, and I am looking forward to a happy and healthy 2025-2026 school year.

 

Be Well,

Mrs. Webb & Mrs. Beidler