General Information
School Health Services takes a leadership role in assessing health risk factors and promotes resilience to ensure students achieve optimal health and well being.
A team comprised of a health services coordinator, school physician, school nurse teacher, school nurse practitioner, aide, and clerk work collaboratively with parents and the medical and school communities to address the medical, social, and educational needs of district children and youth in grades Pre-K through 12th.
All district schools have a knowledgeable, well-staffed and well-equipped health office which promotes healthy attitudes and behaviors while emphasizing preventive health care.
Measles
NYS has issues a health advisory for travel during spring break.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease caused by the measles virus. It is characterized by a high fever and a red, blotchy skin rash. While it was once common, widespread vaccination has significantly reduced measles cases. However, outbreaks can still occur, particularly in communities with low vaccination rates.
Resources to understand and protect your child from Measles.
Orange County Department of Health- Measles
Healthy NY - Measles
Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
Each year in the U.S., thousands of people are affected by whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory disease. Those most at risk include infants who are too young to be fully vaccinated, children who haven't received all doses of the vaccine, and adults whose immunity has faded.
Resources to understand and protect your child from Pertussis.
Orange County Department of Health
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Polio Information
Polio is in our greater community. It spreads easily and can cause paralysis or even death. Protect yourself and others by getting immunized.
Who is at risk?:
Newborn babies, Children under 2 who are not fully vaccinated, Anyone not fully immunized, including pregnant women.
Learn More About Polio
Orange County DOH Immunization Clinics
Clinic is for uninsured/underinsured children between the ages of 2-months and 18-years of age. Children must be
accompanied by a parent/legal guardian and records of previous immunizations must be presented at the time of the visit. Please call 845-291-2330 for an appointment.
OCDOH - Immunizations
COVID-19 Information
The updated CDC Respiratory Virus Guidance | Snapshot (En español), released March 1, 2024, utilizes a unified approach to addressing risks from common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV. The recommendations were updated because of decreased hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19. There are no changes to respiratory virus guidance for healthcare settings.
CDC recommends people stay home and away from others when sick with a respiratory virus and suggests returning to normal activities when symptoms are improving for at least 24 hours, and fever free without antipyretics. Once resuming normal activities, people are encouraged to take additional steps for the next five days to curb spread, such as wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others and enhancing hygiene practices.
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) recommends that schools follow the updated CDC guidance for COVID-19 prevention and work with their Local Health Department if local cases are high.
CDC's most current guidance on how you handle isolation and quarantine | March 1, 2024
CDC Prevention Information
Orange County Department of Health Guidance | March 7, 2024
When Should my Child Stay Home?
Please keep your child home and/or contact your child’s doctor for:
- Fever greater than 100.4° (taken by mouth)
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
- Severe sore throat along with fever and feeling ill for more than 48 hours, or after exposure to Strep throat infection
- Honey-crusted sores around the nose or mouth or rash on other body parts
- Large amounts of mucous (liquid) from their nose, with face pain or headache
- Severe ear pain or fluid coming from the ear
- Severe headache, especially with fever
Prevent the Flu
Fight Flu at Home and School. Flu, or influenza, spreads easily and can make people very sick, especially kids. You can help stop flu! Read more information here. // Combatan la gripe en casa y en la escuela. La gripe, o influenza, se contagia fácilmente y puede hacer que las personas se enfermen mucho, en especial los niños. ¡Ustedes pueden ayudar a prevenir la gripe! Lea más información aquí.
Emergency Information
Emergency information cards are sent home the first week of school. This card should be filled in immediately and returned to school. The information on this card will help us contact you in case of an emergency. It is important that you notify the School Health Office of any changes in information during the school year.
Dispensing of Medication
If a student must take medication in school during school hours, the medication must be in the original container, with the following information: date prescribed, student’s name, name of medication, dose, and time to be administered. A parental permission form and physician’s order must accompany all medication.
Immunizations
GENERAL VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO ALL STUDENTS
The Immunization Schedule can be found at the bottom of this page.
Public Health Law §2164, as amended by Chapter 35 of the Laws of 2019 applies to students attending all schools as defined in Public Health Law §2164 to include any public, private or parochial child caring center, day nursery, day care agency, nursery school, kindergarten, elementary, intermediate or secondary schools. Public Health Law §2164, as amended by Chapter 35 of the Laws of 2019 prohibits a school from permitting any child to be admitted to such school, or to attend such school, in excess of 14 days without sufficient evidence that the child has received all age appropriate required vaccinations. The 14 days may be extended where the student is transferring from out of state or from another country and can show a good faith effort to get the necessary evidence or where the parent, guardian or any other person in parental relationship can demonstrate that a child has received the first age-appropriate dose in each immunization series and that they have age appropriate scheduled appointments for follow-up doses to complete the immunization series in accordance with the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0 through 18.
More information with a video from the NYS Department of Health | School Vaccination Requirements
Childhood Lead Prevention
Public Health Law §1370-d requires public preschools, licensed, certified, or approved by any state or local agency to obtain from the parent/guardian, prior to or within three months of initial enrollment, evidence that their child under the age of six years has been screened for lead. If the parent/guardian is unable to provide such evidence, the school must provide the parent/guardian with information on lead poisoning in children and lead poisoning prevention, and refer the parent/guardian to their primary care provider or local health department for a blood lead test. A student lacking proof of lead screening may not be excluded. Additionally, Public Health Law §2168(8)(d)(i) requires public preschools licensed, certified, or approved by any state or local agency to provide educational materials on the dangers of elevated lead exposure, the health risks associated with elevated blood lead levels, as well as programs that may be available for the child and the parent/guardian of a child with elevated blood lead levels. See NYSDOH Lead Poisoning Prevention webpage for more information on lead screening.
Below is a list of federally-qualified health centers located within Orange County. These are community-based health centers that provide care on a sliding fee scale and are open to all residents.
Middletown:
- Cornerstone Family Health Center – 10 Benton Ave, Middletown 845-343-8838
- Cornerstone Family Health Center – 14 Grove St, Middletown 845-344-2273
- Cornerstone Family Health Center – 27 North St, Middletown 845-342-3900
- Sun River Health Middletown - 24 Union St. Middletown 845-421-6468
Goshen:
- Sun River Health The Alamo - 888 Pulaski Hwy, Goshen 845-378-1160
Newburgh:
- Cornerstone Family Health Center (Kaplan Family Pavilion) 147 Lake Street, Newburgh 845-563-8000
- Cornerstone Family Healthcare – Harper Health for Individuals & Families in Transition (Newburgh) 290 Broadway, Suites 2 & 3, Newburgh 845-561-3759
- Cornerstone Family Healthcare – Center for Recovery: Chemical Dependency (Newburgh) 3 Commercial Place, Newburgh 845-220-2146
New Windsor:
- Cornerstone Family Health Center – 91 Blooming Grove Turnpike, New Windsor 845-220-2074
Highland Falls:
- Cornerstone Family Health Center – 127 Main Street, Highland Falls 845-446-4076
Port Jervis:
- Cornerstone Family Health Center – 140 Hammond Street, Port Jervis 845-563-8000
Wallkill:
- Cornerstone Family Health Center – 24 Old Firehouse Rd, Wallkill 845-393-6015 Cornerstone Family
- Sun River Health – Wallkill Valley – 75 Orange Ave., Walden 845-778-2700
Village of Kiryas Joel / Palm Tree:
- Ezras Choilim Health Center – 49 Forest Road., Monroe 845-782-3242
