Kindergarten Information

School Nurses Welcome You to Kindergarten

Center Road School
Michelle Harlow

Lake Street School
Maria Valentino

Maple Street School
Emily Hays

Northeast School
Kerry Caldwell

Skinner Road School
Deanna Loso

Sometimes it may be difficult trying to decide if your child is well enough to attend school when they tell you that they do not feel well. Attendance at school is important for their academic success. Children with a fever of 100, vomiting or diarrhea should remain home for 24 hours without the use of medication to be sure the symptoms have resolved or until your doctor sends a note that your child is not contagious.

Students on antibiotics for strep throat, scarlet fever, impetigo, and MRSA, for example, need to be excluded from school until they have completed 24 hours of the antibiotic. Students with fever need to be fever free for twenty-four hours after stopping the fever reducing medication before they can return to school. If you have a question about your child staying home, please feel free to contact your school nurse.

If your child is going to be absent or tardy, please call your school nurse and leave a message with your child’s name, teacher and reason for absence. A message can be left twenty-four hours a day.

Students go outside for recess unless it is raining or the temperature or the wind chill (feels-like) is 26 degrees or below. Please remember to dress your child accordingly.

Recess will be indoors if the feel-like temperature is 90 degrees or higher.

DTaP: At least 4 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday

Polio: At least 3 doses. The last dose must be given on or after 4th birthday

MMR: 2 doses separated by at least 28 days, 1st dose on or after the 1st birthday

Hep B: 3 doses, last dose on or after 24 weeks of age

Hep A: 2 doses given six calendar months apart, 1st dose on or after 1st birthday

Varicella: 2 doses separated by at least 3 months-1st dose on or after the 1st birthday; or verification of disease

Hib: 1 dose on or after 1st birthday for children less than 5 years old

Pneumococcal: 1 dose on or after the 1st birthday for students less than 5 years old

Influenza shot is required for preschool and recommended for all others.

ALL students entering Kindergarten need an updated physical, twelve months preceding the start of Kindergarten. A TB risk assessment must be included in this physical.

The Vernon Wellness Committee has set guidelines for all town elementary schools in order to encourage healthy snacks for the students. Adjustments to these guidelines will be made on a building-by-building basis due to specific food allergies.

Recommended Snack List*

Fresh fruits and vegetables
Dried fruits such as raisins
Applesauce, canned fruits and vegetables
Cheese, Cottage
Cheese Cheerios, plain only
Pretzels, plain only
Yogurt, Yogurt with fruit
Popcorn, plain only
Crackers
Rice Cakes
Turkey plain only
Ham, plain only
Juice Boxes (must be 100% real juice)
Water

*Schools are nut free except for home lunches eaten in the cafeteria. Based on student specific allergies in your child’s school building this list may change.

Please read the manufacturer’s label and be sure your snack selection is not from a factory that processes nuts or peanuts.

Please leave an extra set of clothes, labeled with your child’s name in their backpack in case s/he has a need to change their clothes.

There are specific laws in Connecticut for medication to be administered at school for both prescription and over the counter medication. The required forms may be obtained from the Health Room on the School Nurse's website.

Parents/guardians will need to provide the school with two emergency contacts other than themselves who would be available to pick up their ill or injured child in an emergency. Parents/guardians are asked to be sure that the Health Office has current phone numbers for their contacts.