Welcome

To

Nurse Byron's Office

FOREST AVENUE SCHOOL HEALTH OFFICE

DONNA D. BYRON RN, BSN, MEd 

RI Certified School Nurse-Teacher 

Forest Ave. Elementary School 

Middletown, Rhode Island 

Email:  dbyron@mpsri.net 

Tel: 401-849-9434

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Dear Forest Ave. School Families and Friends, 

It is my great pleasure to be working with you and your children as part of the Forest Ave. School community. 

I am a RI Certified School Nurse-Teacher who has been part of the Middletown Public School System for over 30 years. In my tenure I have served as school nurse-teacher at Aquidneck School, Middletown High School and Gaudet Middle School.  School Nurse-Teacher is a specialty within nursing with an emphasis on wellness and prevention through health promotion, health services and health education. 

The elementary school years are an exciting time of growth and development in a child’s life, and I am here to assist you with any health concerns. 

You may reach me by phone at Forest Ave. School – 401-849-9434 or by email at dbyron@mpsri.net to discuss your child’s health and to assist in medical referrals.   

Please reach out to me if your child has a health concern I should be aware of at school. 

 Any child identified with a life-threatening allergy is required to have an Individual Health Care Plan. I will be happy to put this in place for your child.  

 

R.I. Department of Health requires a physical examination and updated immunizations for all grade K or new students at the elementary level. A State Physical Exam Form can be found on the MPS web page under “Parent Resources”. I will be happy to send a hard copy home to you if needed. 

  •  Prescription Medication may be given at school with a written doctor’s order and a signed Parental Medication Form. We try to limit medication taken at school to avoid interruptions to the student’s educational day. If your child needs prescribed medication during the day, it will only be given by a School Nurse.  

  • Over-the- Counter (OTC) medications, like Tylenol, are rarely given at the elementary level and will only be use with a parental consent.  

  • Health screenings, hearing, vision, dental and scoliosis are performed at different grade levels according to the RIDOH regulations. You will only be notified if a follow-up referral is needed. All students are screened unless otherwise noted by a parent/guardian.  

 

Too sick for school guidelines – Your child should not come to school if: 

  • They have a fever of 100 or greater (student should be fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication like Tylenol or Ibuprofen to return)

  • Have nausea/vomiting or diarrhea within 24 hours

  • Have pink, irritated eyes with drainage or crusty discharge

  • Have a rash of unknown origin (if a rash develops seek medical advice)  

  • Have a runny nose, nasal discharge, cough, excessive sneezing (If your child has difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical advice.) 

  • Have Covid-19 symptoms – (one of these major symptoms) cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell or (two of these minor symptoms) fever/chills, muscle/body aches, sore throat, fatigue, runny/stuffy nose, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Please contact your child’s doctor for advice on Covid-19. The School nurses can also provide you with information on free K-12 tests sites.  

 

  • Free dental care is available to students through the Molar Express/East Bay Community Action Center Dental Health Program. Dental care is provided during school hours in the Molar Express Clinic Bus. If you would like to have an application for this program, please let the school nurse know.  

 

  • Snack time – students have a snack time break during the school day. Please provide a healthy snack and avoid sweet treats at school. Snacks such as whole grain crackers, veggie sticks, fruit, yogurt, or string cheese are good choices for ‘snacks to grown on’.

    • Remind your child that we never share snacks or food at school. 

    • Please provide a reusable water bottle each day, it can be refilled at our filtered water station.  

 

Parties and Celebrations – If you would like to celebrate a special occasion in your child’s class, (birthdays, holidays, etc.) please do not send in food items or candy. Due to the many food allergies and sensitivities of our students this practice is discouraged. Some alternative ideas may be goodie bags filled with colorful pencils, fun erasers, stickers, little note pads, or other items students may use at school. Donating a book dedicated to your child for the class library or a game that can be played at indoor recess are great alternatives that every student can appreciate.   

 Health Insurance information, access to food pantries, information on afterschool programs, childcare, job training, housing and utilities assistance, Veteran’s assistance information is offered by the United Way Help Line by simply dialing ‘211’ on you phone.  

                                                                    

As your School Nurse-Teacher, I am happy to help you with your child and family health needs. Please don’t hesitate to contact me.  

Keep well,  

Nurse B. 😊 

 HEALTH RESOURCES