School Health
Health is at the heart of education
Nurses Week: May 5-9, 2025
Mission Statement:
School Nurses enhance learning by promoting the wellness and safety of students and staff by removing health related barriers.
Definition of School Nursing: School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses, grounded in ethical and evidence-based practice, are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination, advocate for quality student-centered care, and collaborate to design systems that allow individuals and communities to develop their full potential. Adopted by the NASN Board of Directors February 2017.
Health Programs
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Email: pbarber@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN, NCSN
Pam Barber
Lead School Nurse
South Caldwell High School 828-396-2188Email: sandrews@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN
Shannon Andrews
Hudson Middle School 828-728-4281
Sawmills Elementary School 828-396-2610Email: adunlap@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN
Amy Dunlap
Davenport Elementary School 828-754-6941
Lower Creek Elementary School 828-754-4022
Horizons Elementary School 828-726-5282Email: dfleming@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN, NCSN
Denise Fleming
Dudley Shoals Elementary 828-396-3457
Gateway School 828-396-8373
Granite Falls Elementary 828-396-2222Email: bhopson@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN, NCSN
Brittney Hopson
Baton Elementary School 828-728-9531
Collettsville School 828-754-6913
Whitnel Elementary School 828-728-6423Email: elloyd@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN, NCSN
Emily Lloyd
Hudson Elementary School 828-728-3712
Valmead Elementary School 828-754-9612Email: aproffit@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
MSN, RN, NCSN
Angela Proffit
Caldwell Online Academy 828-726-3855
West Caldwell High School 828-758-5583
Email: kroberts@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN, NCSN
Kim Roberts
Hibriten High School 828-758-7376
Email: sswanger@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN, NCSN
Sarah Beth Swanger
Gamewell Elementary School 828-758-1193
William Lenoir Middle School 828-726-3910Email: ktilley@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN
Kimberly Tilley
Gamewell Middle School 828-754-6204
Happy Valley School 828-754-3496
Kings Creek School 828-754-6039Email: byoung@caldwellschools.com
Degrees and Certifications:
BSN, RN, NCSN
Brittney Young
Caldwell Early College High School 828-759-4636
Caldwell Career Center Middle College 828-759-4640
Granite Falls Middle School 828-396-2341 -
Schools Nurses are medical professionals who work inconjunction with faculty and staff to meet health related challenges of students, making a difference in attendance, student achievements, and drop-out rates.
Roles of the School Nurse Identified by the School Nurse's Associaition of North Carolina:
Appropriate Referrals to School Nurse:
- Helps to develop school health policies.
- Makes sure that policies and procedures adhere to laws and standards of nursing practice.
- Monitors students' compliance with state immunization laws.
- Monitors communicable diseases.
- Refers students with health problems for care.
- Serves as liaison and resource person between home, school and community/service organizations.
- Coordinates health care in school for students with chronic conditions.
- Health care needs of students
- Children at risk of academic failure or out of home placement related to their health needs
- Need for Emergency Action/Individual Health Plans for Medical Diagnosis
- Vision/Dental Care & Follow-up
- Immunizations
- Chronic Absences
- Pregnancy/Parenting Concerns
- Access to needed community health resources including financial assistance
- Mental Health Concerns
- Medications (any student taking medications)
- Problems identified on Kindergarten Physical Assessment Form
Visit North Carolin'a School Nurse Association
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A vast directory to assist Caldwellians in their quest to locate resources available in Caldwell County. The document is an ever-changing document and is updated as new resources are identified.
Link: Resource Directory
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K-12 School Requirements
North Carolina law requires all children in the state to receive certain immunizations. Records are checked when children enter school or child care.
Kindergarten
Vaccination requirements for kindergarten-age children can be found below:
Vaccine Number Doses Required Before School Entry* Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis 5 doses Polio 4 doses Measles 2 doses Mumps 2 doses Rubella 1 dose Haemophilus Influenzae type B (Hib) 4 doses Hepatitis B (Hep B) 3 doses Varicella (chickenpox) 2 doses Pneumococcal conjugate 4 doses 7th Grade
Vaccination requirements for 7th grade age children can be found below:
Vaccine Number Doses Required Before School Entry* Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis 5 doses Polio 4 doses Measles 2 doses Mumps 2 doses Rubella 1 dose Haemophilus Influenzae type B (Hib) 4 doses Hepatitis B (Hep B) 3 doses Varicella (chickenpox) 1 dose Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis 1 dose Meningococcal conjugate 1 dose 12th Grade
Vaccination requirements for 12th grade age children can be found below:
Vaccine Number Doses Required Before School Entry* Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis 5 doses Polio 4 doses Measles 2 doses Mumps 2 doses Rubella 1 dose Haemophilus Influenzae type B (Hib) 4 doses Hepatitis B (Hep B) 3 doses Varicella (chickenpox) 1 dose Tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis 1 dose Meningococcal conjugate (Effective 2020-2021 School Year) 2 doses -
Head Lice Information
Head lice are tiny insects that can get on people's scalp. Once there, they reproduce quickly. They lay eggs and cause severe itching of the scalp. Head lice do not spread disease. They do not live on animals. It does not matter if the hair is long or short, dirty or clean. Children and adults of any age and race can get head lice.
Policy and research from the Harvard School of Epidemiology, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses all state there is no value to excluding children from school for nits only. Children will only be sent home if live lice are seen.
- Pollack, Richard J., Head Lice: Information and Frequently Asked Questions Identify website
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Head Lice: Clinical Report, PEDIATRICS Vol. 110 No. 3 September 2002, pp. 638-643, NOTE: A Statement of Reaffirmation of this policy was published May 1, 2009, Retrieved from the WWW June 30, 2010 AAP Publications
- National Association of School Nurses, Position Statement, Pediculosis in the School Community, (2004). Retrieved from the WWW June 30, 2010 at National Association of School Nurses
How You Can Get Lice
- Lice do not jump or fly
- People must have their heads close together so the lice can crawl (short distances only) from one head to another.
- Lice may also be spread by sharing combs, hats, scarves, sweaters, coats, brushes and pillows.
- Lice can crawl from clothing or personal items that are stored in one place such as piles of hats or coats at friends' homes, school or meeting places.
- Lice & their eggs can live on upholstered chairs, carpet or car seats.
What Lice And Their Eggs ("Nits") Look LikeLice are:
- Small insects that are about 1/8" to 1/10" long (about this (-) long).
- They are grayish white with dark edges.
- They have three legs on each side of their body.
- They run quickly from light, so can be difficult to see.
- On the head, lice can live for 28-30 days.
- Lice need about 5 blood meals a day to live.
- They die within 24-48 hours if they fall off the scalp.
Nits are:
- Lice eggs. They look like a sesame seed
- Nits are attached by a glue-like substance to the hair, which makes them very hard to remove. To tell the difference, remember that dry skin or lint will brush off easily; nits will not come off easily.
- Nits are laid at the end of a hair within ¼" of the scalp. The nit will move up the hair as the hair grows.
- Nits hatch in 7-10 days.
- Nits that are more than 1/2" from the scalp have hatched and are no longer alive.
How To Check For Lice And Nits
- Most people have had lice up to a month before they are discovered.
- Watch for children scratching their head a lot.
- Use a pencil to separate the hair into parts. Look through the hair carefully, especially at the back of the neck, top of the head and behind the ears for nits. Look for movement especially at the neck and behind the ears.
Who to Treat
- Check all family members for lice and nits
- Treat only people who actually have live lice or nits. The treatment will not prevent people from getting lice.
How to Treat
Several different medicated shampoos can be purchased at the drugstore. You may wish to ask your doctor for a product that requires a prescription.
- Read the directions on the shampoo carefully. Some will need to be put on dry hair. It is important to use the entire bottle.
- The medicated shampoos kill live lice. It is not certain that any of them will kill nits.
- A fine toothcomb (metal works best) must be used after the shampoo to help remove the nits.
- Automatically repeat the treatment once in 7 - 10 days.
Important:
- Follow the product directions and the advice of your doctor.
- It is very important not to use any treatment more often than suggested
- Never use home remedies such as kerosene to treat lice.
Household Cleaning
The following household procedures are necessary to prevent re-infestation and must be repeated with each treatment.
- Clothing, linens, etc., that have been in contact with the head of the person with lice, should be washed in hot water for 20 minutes.
- OR put items in a clothes dryer at high heat for at least 20 minutes.
- Clothing which is not washable should be dry cleaned OR placed in a plastic bag and sealed for 10 days.
- Stuffed animals should be sealed in a plastic bag for 10 days.
- Soak combs and brushes using one of the following methods:
- Solution of medicated shampoo (2 tablespoons to 1-cup water) for one (1) hour.
- Heat a pan of water on the stove until just before the water starts to boil. Remove from heat and immediately place combs and brushes in heated water and leave for 5-10 minutes
- Mattresses, pillows, upholstered furniture and carpets should be cleaned thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner.
Prevention
- Please check your child's scalp often for nits and live lice
- Instruct family members not to share combs, brushes, hats and other personal items
- Children may come back to school after being treated for lice. Only nits that are within ¼" from the scalp must be removed
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Medication Administration
in Caldwell County SchoolsThe Caldwell County School System and the Caldwell County Health Department have established a medication procedure in an effort to provide for safe administration of medication in schools.
Medication may be given during the school day, as determined by a doctor or a parent that cannot be scheduled outside the school day; however, is necessary for the child's well-being and ability to function in school.
Medications include prescription, emergency, and over-the-counter medications.
If your child is sick, we recommend that he/she receive medical care and follow the physician's advice.
In the event that medication must be given during the school day, a medication consent form must be completed by the physician and signed by a parent/guardian. For students who will self-administer and carry their own medication, the prescribing physician must complete and sign the appropriate section on the consent form. The form must be returned before medication will be administered.
Prescription
Over-the-Counter
- Must be in Prescription bottle
- Labeled with Student's name, medication name, and dosage
- Must be in Original Counter
- Labeled with Student's name and dosage
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Emergency Plans of Care
Allergy Action Plan
Form utilized to direct school personel actions to take in the event of an emergency related to condition.Form utilized to direct school personel actions to take in the event of an emergency related to condition.
Form utilized to direct school personel actions to take in the event of an emergency related to condition.
Generic Action Plan
Form utilized to direct school personel actions to take in the event of an emergency related to condition.Seizure Action Plan
Form utilized to direct school personel actions to take in the event of an emergency related to condition.Medication Administration Documents
Medication Consent Form
Form for Medication to be given during school hours, must be completed by physician and authorized by parent.Release Form
Consent for Release of Information
Form to authorize release of protected health information to enhance academic success of student.
Return to Learn DocumentsRTL Guidelines
RTL Academic Accommodations
RTL Concussion Protocol Parent Information
RTL Concussion Signs/Symptoms Checklist
RTL Post Concussion Sympton Checklist
RTL Parent Information Brochure
School Nurse Encounter Forms (School Nurse Only)
School Nurse Encounter Form (School Nurse Use Only)
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