Health Services » Health Services

Health Services

 

LINDA CAHILL, DNP, RN
Supervisor of Nurses
Crosby Administration Building
Health Services 2nd Floor
43 Crescent St.
Brockton, MA 02301
Phone: 508-580-7470 Fax: 508-580-7699
[email protected]

ANN M. LINEHAN, DNP, RN
Southeast Regional Advisor/Computer Nurse
Computer Consultant
Phone: 508-580-7363
[email protected]

LINDA CLEGG, MS, RN
Nursing Case Manager
Phone: 508-580-7470 
[email protected]

Brockton School Nurses are integral members of the educational team who assist children and youth to develop their full potential. Our school health program adjusts to the individual differences of each student. The cooperative effort of the parent, administrator, nurse, health care provider, teacher, support personnel and the student contribute to our successful program that promotes a healthy and safe school environment. Our challenges as professional nurses include the education, integration and coordination of the health needs of all the students.

Free COVID-19 Home Tests

The federal government is making free at-home COVID-19 tests available for American households. You may order yours by clicking here.

Anonymous Substance Use Screening

The department of public health mandates that schools conduct verbal  anonymous screenings related to alcohol, tobacco and substance use throughout the school year. This screening is called Brief Intervention and Referral for Treatment (SBIRT). This screening is being done in the 7th grade and 9th grade and will be conducted by trained nurses and counselors.

The screener does not ask the students their name, only their age. The screening purpose is to offer help if it is needed and to gather data on use to develop educational programs. 

If you wish to opt out for your child, please notify your school nurse. The opted-out student will not be sent to the screening area. If the student does not want to participate, they can opt out at the time of the screening. 

Please call Linda Cahill, director of nurses, or Linda Clegg Nursing Case Manager for any questions at 508-580-7470. 

The questionnaire that screeners will use may be viewed by clicking below.

Immunization Guidance

Please review the dropdown options on the righthand side of the page for more information about required vaccines and additional guidance related to vaccination. 

Among the required vaccines is one that covers Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR). Vaccines provide your student with the best protection available against serious illnesses like Measles. 

Measles is a disease caused by a virus that spreads very easily from person to person. It usually lasts a week or two. Measles looks and feels like a cold or the flu at first. A cough, high fever, runny nose and red, watery eyes are common. A few days later, a red, blotchy rash starts on the face, and then spreads to the rest of the body.

Measles is more easily spread than almost any other disease. The virus that causes measles lives in the nose and throat and is sprayed into the air when an infected person sneezes, coughs or talks. It can stay in the air for up to 2 hours. Other people nearby can then inhale the virus. Touching tissues or sharing a cup used by someone who has measles can also spread the virus. People with measles can spread the disease 4 days before the rash begins until 4 days after rash onset. The first symptoms appear 10 - 14 days after a person is exposed.

The best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated. 

  • DTaP/DTP - 5 doses
  • Polio - 4 doses
  • MMR - 2 doses
  • Varicella - 2 doses
    OR physician certified history of chicken pox
  • Hepatitis - 3 doses - birth or first dose- 1 month after first dose- 6 months after first dose
  • Lead Screening
  • Physical exam done by primary care provider
  • Vision Screening - including stereopsis*All copies should be sent to School Nurse.
    To print out forms to bring to the physicians office
  • IMMUNIZATION FORM
  • PHYSICAL FORM
 

*Stereo E test plate with an array of dots that appear randomly oriented, but when viewed through the stereo glasses a large letter "E" will appear if the child has normal binocular vision.

  • DTaP/DTP ≥ or 3 Td + 1 Tdap
  • Polio - 3 or more doses
  • MMR - 2 doses
  • Varicella - 2 doses
    OR physician certified history of chicken pox
  • Hepatitis - 3 doses - birth or first dose- 1 month after first dose- 6 months after first dose
  • Physical exam - Fourth grade - done by primary care provider
 

All copies should be sent to School Nurse.To print out forms to bring to the physicians office click below:

Grade 7: 1 dose of MenACWY ( brand name Menveo or Menactra) for all students
Grade 11 entry: 1 booster dose of MenACWY received on or after 16 years of age.
(1 or more doses of MenACWY are acceptable as long as 1 dose was received on or after 16 years of age.)

DTaP/DTP - 4 doses or 3 doses Td plus 1 dose Tdap

  • Polio - 3 or more doses
  • MMR - 2 doses
  • Varicella - Grade 7: 2 doses
  • Hepatitis - 3 doses - birth
    • - 1 month
  • - 6 months
  • TD/TDaP - 1 dose upon entry to 7th gr.
    • Or if > 5 yrs since last dose DTP/DTaP

Physical exam - Seventh grade

  • Tenth grade
  • SPORTS physical each year of participation before tryouts
  • All copies should be sent to School Nurse.
    To print out forms to bring to the physicians office, click below:
Required Physicals: Preschool/kindergarten, Grades 4, 7, 9
Vision: Grades K-5, 7, 9 & referrals as needed
Hearing: Grades K-3, 4, 7, 9 & referrals as needed
Postural screening in Grades 5 - 9
Annual height and weight (Body Mass Index) in Grades 1, 4, 7, & 9
Interval health histories

If your child requires medication during the school day, you should have a signed medication order from a licensed prescriber on file with the school nurse. This order must be renewed as needed and at the beginning of each school year.

 

Medicines should be delivered to the school in a pharmacy or manufacturer-labeled container by you or a responsible adult whom you designate. Please ask your pharmacy to provide separate bottles for school and home. No more than a thirty-day supply of the medicine should be delivered to the school. To ensure positive identification of your child, it is required that you provide the school nurse with a picture of your child which will be attached to the medication log.


When your child needs medication during the school day, please act quickly to follow these policies so we may begin to give the medication as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.


Medication is not dispensed in school on half days. If you have any questions, please contact the School Nurse. Thank you.


If you have a child that will be taking medication in school, please print, and complete the following forms and return to the school nurse:

Medication parent permission | Medication physician letter

Medication change protocol | Medication policy | Medication count

Contact

Forms & Resources

Parents should complete the student handbook forms online at the start of the school year. The forms include a section about food allergies.

Further info is available here.

Each student must have a physical examination within one year prior to trying out for any sport. It is recommended that a student-athlete have his/her physical examination administered by their family physician.

Physical Form 
Immunizations

Asthma/Allergies Diabetes Sickle Cell Disease Miscellaneous

Comprehensive School Health Services Program Grant

The Department of Public Health has promoted a Comprehensive School Health Services (CSHS) Program that utilizes the best practices in delivering care to the students of the Commonwealth.  Currently there are 351 cities and towns. Brockton is the sixth largest city in the state of Massachusetts. Currently Brockton Public Schools system serves 16,000 students. The goal of this grant is to provide services that are community based and are culturally and linguistically appropriate meaning that services address racial inequities and health disparities.

Case management will be instituted to ensure that students with complex health needs can access services and attend school safely.  Data driven Quality improvement projects will identify gaps in the various health disparities.  Connecting families with needed services is the priority goal of the health services department.

Access helpful resources to promote heart health, courtesy of the American Heart Association, by clicking below.