Health Room
Staff contact, student medication, illness procedures, and more
Student Health at Franconia
Health Information Form
The Health Information Form is to be completed by the parent or guardian at the start of each school year. The completed form is to be returned to the school clinic.
Prescription Medications
Children who need to take medication during school hours must have a signed Medication Authorization, Release, and Indemnification Form. Prescription medications require the signature of both the parent and the physician. Inhalers and EpiPens require authorization forms.
Over-the-counter Medications
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are drugs that can be purchased without a doctor's prescription and are used for the relief of symptoms on a temporary basis. With parent and physician authorization, OTC medications may be given on an "as needed" basis throughout the school year. Parents may authorize limited use for 10 consecutive days with a completed Medication Authorization Form. Examples include antihistamines for allergic reactions.
With parent permission using the Medication Authorization Form, certain OTC medications may be given on an "as needed" basis throughout the school year only as a pain reliever for headaches, muscle aches, menstrual cramps, or orthodontic pain. The medication must be supplied by the parent in its original container. Examples include Tylenol, Advil, Pamprin, and aspirin.
Transport of Medications to and from School
Parents must transport medications to and from school. All medications must be kept in the clinic and taken under adult supervision. Middle school children are not permitted to carry medications, including OTC medications, except for prescription inhalers or EpiPens with the authorization of their parent(s) and physician.
Scheduling Medical Appointments
Please make every effort to schedule appointments outside of school hours. When this is not possible, please send a note to the school on the morning of the appointment stating the time the child will be picked up. Children should bring appointment notes to the attendance secretary before homeroom. The student's name will then be shown on an early dismissal list so teachers will know the student is not cutting class. For safety reasons, parents must sign out children in the office.
Release of Student from School
Only those individuals designated on the Emergency Care Information form will be contacted either to excuse or take your student home. If the clinic contacts you to excuse your student from school, the clinic must have voice contact with the responsible adult to dismiss the student from school grounds. In an emergency, 911 will be called prior to contacting the parent.
When Your Child Is Sick
When to Stay Home
Students with symptoms such as rashes, watery and inflamed eyes, fever greater than 100°F (37.8°C), sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea should remain at home until symptoms resolve or a health care provider evaluates their symptoms and determines whether or not they are contagious. The Fairfax County Health Department recommends that children stay home fever-free for 24 hours after an illness prior to returning to school.
To limit the spread of illnesses, notify the school office if your child gets strep throat, chicken pox, or other contagious illnesses.
Also, notify the school if your child has been treated for head lice. The school will provide guidance regarding the appropriate documentation for your child to return to class.
Taking Your Child Home
Our school health room works to control and manage student exposure to contagious diseases and will call you if your child exhibits symptoms of illness or any fever greater than 100.4°F (38°C).
We ask that you make arrangements to pick up your child as soon as possible after receiving such a call. It is important to have all emergency numbers up-to-date in case we need to contact you. Anyone picking up your child must show identification.
Returning to School
Some rashes, pink eye, impetigo, ringworm, and scabies can be passed from one student to another. To protect all FCPS students, the school system requires a note from a physician for any child with symptoms of these illnesses. The note must state that the child is not contagious before he or she can return to school.