Subject: Important Health Information for the New School Year
As we begin a new school year, I want to share some important reminders that help us keep every student safe, healthy, and ready to learn.
Medications
Even if your child only takes medication at home, it’s important for me to know what they are on. In an emergency—especially if 911 needs to be called—this information can be critical to their care. It also helps me better understand and support your child during the school day. If your child needs medication during the day please have your healthcare provider fill out the medication administration form and return it to the school. The medication will be kept in the office and we will ensure your child receives it at the correct time.
Asthma & Allergies
If your child has asthma or any allergies (food, environmental, insect stings, etc.), please make sure we have the correct paperwork on file. The asthma and allergy paperwork can be found on our website. They need to be completed annually by your healthcare provider and turned into the office along with medication required.
If your child will be self-carrying medication (like an inhaler or EpiPen), please let me know so we can document it and ensure it’s used safely.
Immunizations and Physicals
Preschool and kindergarten and any student athlete are required to have an updated physical on file. If your child is not immunized, a current non-medical exemption form must be submitted annually (this needs to be complete if opting out of one immunization or all).
Over-the-Counter Medications
If your child needs over-the-counter medication at school, such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, or allergy medicine, we must have a medication administration form on file. You can find this form on our school website.
Thank you for your partnership in keeping our students healthy, safe, and learning. If you have any questions please contact me.
Allergy Paperwork
Asthma Paperwork
Seizure Paperwork
Medical and Non-Medical Exemptions
As we begin a new school year, I want to share some important reminders that help us keep every student safe, healthy, and ready to learn.
Medications
Even if your child only takes medication at home, it’s important for me to know what they are on. In an emergency—especially if 911 needs to be called—this information can be critical to their care. It also helps me better understand and support your child during the school day. If your child needs medication during the day please have your healthcare provider fill out the medication administration form and return it to the school. The medication will be kept in the office and we will ensure your child receives it at the correct time.
Asthma & Allergies
If your child has asthma or any allergies (food, environmental, insect stings, etc.), please make sure we have the correct paperwork on file. The asthma and allergy paperwork can be found on our website. They need to be completed annually by your healthcare provider and turned into the office along with medication required.
If your child will be self-carrying medication (like an inhaler or EpiPen), please let me know so we can document it and ensure it’s used safely.
Immunizations and Physicals
Preschool and kindergarten and any student athlete are required to have an updated physical on file. If your child is not immunized, a current non-medical exemption form must be submitted annually (this needs to be complete if opting out of one immunization or all).
Over-the-Counter Medications
If your child needs over-the-counter medication at school, such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, or allergy medicine, we must have a medication administration form on file. You can find this form on our school website.
Thank you for your partnership in keeping our students healthy, safe, and learning. If you have any questions please contact me.
Allergy Paperwork
Asthma Paperwork
Seizure Paperwork
Medical and Non-Medical Exemptions
My name is Tara Cuccinelli and this is my 4th year as school nurse here at St. Peter’s. I have been a nurse for over 26 years but don’t tell my kids, they think I am 38. My background is in emergency medicine where I spent 21 years first as an Army Nurse then at UCHealth Central in the ER. Besides working at St. Peter, I also am a Medical Legal Forensic Nursing Expert.
My job at St. Peter’s is support the well-being of both the students and staff by keeping them in the classroom where the can learn or teach. This is done by:
- Writing care plans and coordinating care of students with chronic or acute health conditions
- Communicating with teachers and staff to ensure safety and well-being of students
- Administering medications and monitoring delegated medication administration
- Coordinating and providing vision and hearing screenings
- Educating and training staff and students on various health topics
- Providing first aid care and health assessments
- Tracking immunizations
- Tracking illnesses-I will normally contact you if your student has missed three consecutive days of school just to check in and see how your student is feeling and if the school can help in any way OR if we notice a pattern of missed days again just to see how we can support your student.
We are also asking this year if your student is going to be absent you either call or email the school with the following information:
Student Name
Reason for absenteeism- Ill or not ill
If student is ill we are asking for symptoms- sore throat, vomiting/diarrhea, fever etc
If student is not ill that is all we need to know
This information will help us alert classrooms early if we are noticing several students out with the same symptoms which will reduce spread of the illness and keeps students in the classroom.
I am generally at the school one or two days a week but am always available by email or phone. My email address is [email protected] or 719-238-2236
I look forward to meeting your students this year.
Sincerely
Tara Cuccinelli RN, MS, CNS
My job at St. Peter’s is support the well-being of both the students and staff by keeping them in the classroom where the can learn or teach. This is done by:
- Writing care plans and coordinating care of students with chronic or acute health conditions
- Communicating with teachers and staff to ensure safety and well-being of students
- Administering medications and monitoring delegated medication administration
- Coordinating and providing vision and hearing screenings
- Educating and training staff and students on various health topics
- Providing first aid care and health assessments
- Tracking immunizations
- Tracking illnesses-I will normally contact you if your student has missed three consecutive days of school just to check in and see how your student is feeling and if the school can help in any way OR if we notice a pattern of missed days again just to see how we can support your student.
We are also asking this year if your student is going to be absent you either call or email the school with the following information:
Student Name
Reason for absenteeism- Ill or not ill
If student is ill we are asking for symptoms- sore throat, vomiting/diarrhea, fever etc
If student is not ill that is all we need to know
This information will help us alert classrooms early if we are noticing several students out with the same symptoms which will reduce spread of the illness and keeps students in the classroom.
I am generally at the school one or two days a week but am always available by email or phone. My email address is [email protected] or 719-238-2236
I look forward to meeting your students this year.
Sincerely
Tara Cuccinelli RN, MS, CNS
VACCINE GUIDELINES
Vaccines - Colorado law requires all students attending Colorado schools and licensed child cares to be vaccinated against certain diseases unless a medical or non-medical exemption is filed. For more information about vaccine requirements, resources and exemptions, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's school immunizations page.
VACCINE EXEMPTIONS FOR NONMEDICAL REASONS
Vaccines - Colorado law requires all students attending Colorado schools and licensed child cares to be vaccinated against certain diseases unless a medical or non-medical exemption is filed. For more information about vaccine requirements, resources and exemptions, please visit the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's school immunizations page.
VACCINE EXEMPTIONS FOR NONMEDICAL REASONS
OTHER HEALTH AND MEDICAL FORMS
If medication is to be administered at school, please complete a Medical Administration in School or Child Care form to be signed by you and your physician. A General Health Care Plan must also accompany the Medical Administration in School or Child Care form. If your child has a chronic medical condition: Diabetes, Asthma, Seizures, just to name a few, please reach out and let’s set up a time to talk to make sure we are meeting your child's healthcare needs. I am attaching the links for asthma, allergy and seizure paperwork needed at the beginning of the school year. Remember, we need updated paperwork and prescriptions every year. Again, it needs to be updated yearly.
Medical Forms for General Health Care Plans:
If medication is to be administered at school, please complete a Medical Administration in School or Child Care form to be signed by you and your physician. A General Health Care Plan must also accompany the Medical Administration in School or Child Care form. If your child has a chronic medical condition: Diabetes, Asthma, Seizures, just to name a few, please reach out and let’s set up a time to talk to make sure we are meeting your child's healthcare needs. I am attaching the links for asthma, allergy and seizure paperwork needed at the beginning of the school year. Remember, we need updated paperwork and prescriptions every year. Again, it needs to be updated yearly.
Medical Forms for General Health Care Plans:
- Allergy and Anaphylaxis Care Plan
- Asthma Care Plan
- Permission for Medication Administration at School
- Individualized Health Plan: Diabetes
- General Health Care Plan (to include non-prescription and over the counter medications such as cough drops and pain relievers)
- School Physical Form (For physicals and sports physicals)
