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Health & Wellness

Hello! My name is Melissa DeFonce, I am the school nurse for the Garrison Union Free School District. My goal as the Garrison School Nurse is to keep your kids healthy and happy. Please contact me if I can help your family in any way to accomplish this mission. I can be reached anytime via call or text at 845-494-1758.

New York State has new physical examination requirements. Health Examinations are now required for all new students and students in grades pre-K, K, 1, 3, 5, and 7 at our school. Students in these grades will have a vision and hearing screening at school if they have not had one with their pediatrician. Female students in Grades 5 and 7 will also be screened for Scoliosis if that screening has not been done during a health examination within the last 12 months.

  • I am often asked when a child should stay home from school. This is a tricky question and often you are the best judge, knowing when they won't be able to focus in school. Here are times your child should NOT come to school:

    • Flu
    • Vomiting or diarrhea twice in the past 24 hours
    • Fever (over 100.4) in past 24 hours (they should be fever free without medication for 24 hours prior to return)
    • Strep Throat (unless they have had two doses of an antibiotic)
    • Bad cold, with a very runny nose or a bad cough (especially if this keeps them up at night)
    • Rashes: please talk to Nurse Melissa about when to keep your child home

    Any absence of more than three consecutive days requires a doctor's note to be excused.

  • Please note the nurse can give no medication (including over the counter medication) without a physician's order and written parental permission. Below you will find the medication administration form should your child need medication while at school. There are two sections of this form, one to be completed by a physician and another to be completed by the parent.

  • Education Law Article 19 and Regulations of the Commissioner of Education (8 NYCRR) require physical examinations of public school students: Entering the school district for the first time, and in grades K, 1, 3, 5 and 7; in order to participate in strenuous physical activity, such as interscholastic athletics (8 NYCRR §§135.4 and 136.3(a)(8)); in order to obtain an employment certificate (Education Law §3217); and when conducting an individual evaluation or reevaluation of a student suspected of having a disability or a student with a disability (8 NYCRR §200.4 [b]). Please provide the health office with a copy of your child most recent physical examination. If you child meets any of the above criteria and an examination has not been provided the school physician may exam the student (parents will be given this option and informed of the exam).

  • As part of a required school health examination, a student is weighed and his/her height is measured. These numbers are used to figure out the student’s body mass index or ‘BMI’. The BMI helps the doctor or nurse know if the student’s weight is in a healthy range or is too high or too low. Recent changes to the New York State Education Law require that BMI and weight status group be included as part of the student’s school health examination. A sample of school districts will be selected to take part in a survey by the New York State Department of Health. If our school is selected to be part of the survey, we will be reporting to New York State Department of Health information about our students’ weight status groups. Only summary information is sent. No names and no information about individual students are sent. However, you may choose to have your child’s information excluded from this survey report. The information sent to the New York State Department of Health will help health officials develop programs that make it easier for children to be healthier. If you do not wish to have your child’s weight status group information included as part of the Health Department’s survey this year, please call Melissa DeFonce at 845-424-3689 x226 or email mdefonce@gufs.org by January 2, 2024 and indicate "Please do not include my child’s weight status information in the 2024-2025 School Survey."

  • Health History for Athletes

    Form to be completed prior to every season

    Medication Administration

    Required for any medication administration at school

    Potassium Iodide Permission

    Required for administration of potassium iodide

    CDC Concussion Information

    Information regarding concussion

    Head Lice Information

    Information regarding head lic, transmission and treatment

    Immunization Requirements

    Immunization requirements and information

    Respiratory Illness Guidance

    Guidance on COVID, Flu & RSV

    Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) in Youth

    Information regarding SCA

    Fight Flu!

    Health Examination Form

    Form to be completed by Primary Physician

    Lead Screening

    Every student 6 years of age and under should be screened for lead.