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Success in Kindergarten Parent Strategies.pdf

Clinic

Annual Health Screening 
Vision and hearing screening of all kindergartners, third graders, and newly enrolled Fairfax County students is conducted each fall by the public health nurse, school health aide, and clinic volunteers.  This is only a brief screening; parents should continually be alert to identify vision or hearing difficulties which indicate need for examination by a specialist.

Clinic Services 
Clinic services in the school, including the administration of medication and modified first aid, are performed by the clinic aide and office staff.   According to state regulations, the clinic staff may provide care only for minor illnesses and injuries.  If the child’s condition requires more attention, the parent will be contacted. 

Medication at School 
Students may take medication at school, under strict adult supervision and in accordance with School Board guidelines. Forms authorizing the school to administer medication are available in the school office or at www.fcps.edu.

With a parent/guardian’s signature and a physician’s signature, prescription and over-the-counter medication may be stored in the clinic and given as needed throughout the school year.

With a parent/guardian’s signature only, antibiotics, antivirals, and over-the-counter pain relievers may be stored in the clinic and administered at school. Any other over-the-counter medications may be given for up to ten consecutive school days with the parent/guardian’s signature. Beyond ten days, a physician’s signature is required.

Products such as cough drops, saline, hand lotion, lip balm and sunscreen are not considered to be medication and therefore do not need an order and can be carried by the student, but must be in the original container/wrapper and cannot be shared with other students.

A parent must transport any medication to and from the school clinic.

 

Transportation

Bus riders
Bus service is provided for children who live more than one mile from school or where walking is hazardous.  Schedules for bus riders are given to each student at the open house before the first day of school.  
The parent, day care provider, designated adult or a sibling in 7th grade or higher must be present at the stop to receive the kindergartner at the bus stop.  The student will be returned to school if no one is present to receive the student.

Walkers 
Walkers are encouraged to travel to and from school with parents or older children from their neighborhood.  The PTA student directory is usually available by mid-October and is a resource should parents need to contact neighborhood families.  Teachers or their assistants will bring the kindergarten students to the Door #2 in the front of the building to meet their parent for dismissal at 3:10pm.

Car Riders
Parents driving their children to school at the regular school arrival/dismissal times should use the “Kiss and Ride” traffic pattern.  Teachers or their assistants will bring the “Kiss and Ride” students out to the designated area in the back parking lot to meet the parents.

Helping your child find his classroom in the morning
All children will receive a nametag in their Open House Welcome Packet to wear during the first few days of school.  The teachers will affix a label on the student’s backpack with room and bus information during the first week of school.  Staff members are stationed outside and throughout the building each morning to help children find their classrooms. 

Helping your child find the right bus at dismissal
Parents should record the child’s dismissal arrangements (walk, car rider, bus number and stop, etc.) on the nametag received in the Open House Welcome Packet. Teachers use this information to create a master list of transportation arrangements for the class. 

Authorizing others to pick up your child 
Be sure to list those persons who may pick up your child on the Emergency Care Form sent home on the first day of school or available online. This is especially important if your child becomes ill at school or misses the bus, or if you are delayed in traffic. Update this form throughout the year as necessary. The school cannot release your child to neighbors or relatives unless they are listed on the Emergency Care Form.