Any communication to the school nurse can be made using the email address: nurse@mercyhs.com. This address is monitored regularly; you will receive a reply shortly.
As part of our See Something, Say Something initiative, Mercy is adopting a Safe School Helpline to report health and safety concerns, threats of violence, and illegal activity that could harm students.
The number, 1-800-4-1-VOICE x359, is monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Reports may also be made by texting the word “tips” to 614-426-0240 or online at www.safeschoolhelpline.com.
Click each tab to find important documents and forms for students and parents.
NYS requires current physical exams (health appraisals) to be on file for all new OLM students, students entering grades 7, 9 and 11, and when conducting an initial evaluation/reevaluation of a student with a known or suspected disability. Current physicals for the 2022-2023 school year need to be dated on or after September 1, 2021. Mercy is able to accept electronic forms generated by pediatricians as long as they have the information required by NYS found on the NYS Health Appraisal Form – Updated 2020
In addition, physical exams for sports participation must be within the 12 months prior to the month of the start of the sport season. For example, if Fall sports start August 20, 2004, the physical must be on or after August 1, 2003.
For working papers, physical exams must be within 12 months to the day of the application. For example, if you apply for a work permit on August 20, 2004, your physical must be on or after August 20, 2003.
Physical Exam/Health Appraisals can be securely uploaded via Family ID (https://account.familyid.com/) found under Programs as “Health Office – Physical Exam/Health Appraisal.”
Students that do not have the vaccinations required by New York State Law Section 2164 will not be eligible to attend school. In addition to earlier required vaccines, students in grades 6 – 12 need the following:
- Students 11 years and older entering 6th grade need to have a tetanus booster (Tdap).
- Students entering 7th grade must have one meningitis vaccination.
- Students entering 12th grade must have a total of two doses of the meningitis vaccine.
Immunization records can be securely uploaded via Family ID (https://account.familyid.com/) found under Programs as “Health Office – Immunizations.”
NOTE! Only medical exemptions from immunizations are accepted by Mercy as mandated by New York State Law. Frequently Asked Questions About Legislation Removing Non-Medical Exemptions from School Vaccination Requirements
Please see the links below for additional information:
2022-2023 School Year NYS Vaccination Requirements for School Attendance
All students wishing to play sports at Mercy must first be cleared by the school nurse. To participate, students must register through Family ID EACH SEASON. Registration opens approximately 30 days prior to the start of each season, and registrations are due approximately one week before the start of the season. Please see the Athletics page for more details, due dates, and a link to Family ID. Students who register late may not be able to be cleared in time for tryouts.
Each student must submit a current physical exam/health appraisal as part of the registration process. A physical is considered current if it is within the 12 months prior to the month of the start of the sport season. For example, if Fall Sports start August 20, 2004, the physical must be on or after August 1, 2003.
Students must also submit evidence of a current tetanus shot (within 10 years).
Medical forms can be uploaded through Family ID.
School nurses, by state law, may dispense medication to students with proper authorization from parents and their health care provider. Please use the Medication Permission Form found on the website. If medication is to be given to a student during school hours, the following requirements must be met:
- A written request must be sent by a physician/NP/PA indicating the frequency and dosage of the prescribed medication.
- A written request to administer the medication as specified by a physician/NP/PA must be submitted by the student’s parent.
- All medication must be brought in and picked up at the end of the school year by an adult. Any medication not picked up will be discarded on the last day of school.
- The school nurse will keep the medication in locked storage.
- The authorization must be updated at the start of the school year or when the dosage changes.
- Any non-prescription medications (not provided as stock by the health office) must be in new and unopened bottles/packaging.
- All prescriptions must be in the original bottle and must have a picture of the student attached to them. Please ask your pharmacist for an extra empty bottle with current student and medication information to be used at school if needed.
Medication orders can be securely uploaded via Family ID (https://account.familyid.com/) found under Programs as “Health Office – Medications at School.”
If your daughter has been diagnosed with a condition that requires emergency medications and/or special care (i.e., allergy requiring use of epi-pen, seizures, diabetes), please make sure an up-to-date care plan is sent in by your daughter’s pediatrician or specialist. These need to be updated each school year.
Emergency Care Plans can be securely uploaded via Family ID (https://account.familyid.com/) found under Programs as “Health Office – Emergency Care Plans.”
As of August 2022, NYS and the MCDPH has updated Covid-19 guidelines for schools for the 2022 – 2023 school year. The following is based on guidelines as of August 2022. For all your back to school COVID-19 updates, please click here.
On August 11, 2022, the CDC released an updated Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools to Support Safe InPerson Learning. The New York State Department of Health and New York State Education Department jointly encourage all schools to utilize the CDC guidance as they plan for the 2022-2023 school year. This guidance from the CDC represents the most up to date COVID-19 mitigation strategies for the K-12 setting while considering COVID-19 Community Levels. Schools may choose to layer prevention strategies based on CDC guidance if necessary when considering local community COVID-19 levels and the specific needs of their school community. They are encouraged to consult with their local health departments (LHDs) on COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Parents/Caregivers are encouraged to communicate with school administrators if they have any questions about the COVID-19 mitigation strategies being utilized at the school. Below you will find a summary of the CDC Operational Guidance.
Vaccination
- Staying up to date on vaccinations is essential to prevent people from getting severely ill with COVID-19. Children ages 6 months and older are all eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Children over five years are eligible for a booster. Additional information may be found at ny.gov/vaxtoschool.
Quarantine
- The CDC no longer recommends quarantine except in high-risk congregate settings, such nursing homes. The CDC does not generally consider schools to be high-risk congregate settings. The CDC recommends that all people with a known or suspected COVID-19 exposure regardless of vaccination status or history of prior COVID-19 infection follow current CDC exposure recommendations which include 1) wearing a well-fitting mask or respirator for a full 10-day period, 2) getting tested at least 5 days after close contact or sooner if symptoms develop.
Staying Home When Sick/Symptomatic
- The CDC continues to recommend that people stay home when sick. Any student or staff member who has symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, should stay home.
- Testing is recommended for people with symptoms of COVID-19 as soon as possible after symptoms begin. Those who are at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19 who test positive should consult with a healthcare provider right away for possible treatment, even if their symptoms are mild. If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 and does not have a regular health care provider, evaluation for treatment can be obtained by either calling 1-888-TREAT-NY or visiting the NYS COVID-19 ExpressCare Therapeutics Access Website.
- People who are symptomatic and awaiting COVID-19 test results or have tested positive for COVID-19 should follow CDC’s Isolation Guidance.
Isolation
- People who have tested positive or are awaiting COVID-19 test results should remain home and follow the CDC’s Isolation Guidance. The isolation period may vary based COVID-19 symptoms.
- If someone who tested positive has no symptoms, isolation may end after day 5. If someone has symptoms, isolation may end after day 5 if they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and symptoms are improving.
- People should wear a mask through day 10 after ending isolation when they are feeling better (fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medication and symptoms improving).
- Antigen testing (e.g., Rapid Test or home test) is not required to end isolation; however, some schools may allow use of the “test-based strategy” to potentially shorten the length of time for post-isolation mask use.
With two negative tests 48 hours apart, people may remove their mask sooner than day 10. If a person’s test result is positive, they may still be infectious and should continue wearing a mask and wait at least 48 hours before taking another test and continue taking antigen tests 48 hours apart until two negative results are received. This may mean masking and testing beyond day 10.
Note: After having ended isolation, if COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, restart isolation at day 0. Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset. Staff and student’s parents/guardians should be advised to talk to a healthcare provider about their symptoms or when to end isolation
Testing
- Antigen test – refers to a same day or home test. These are often self-administered tests.
- PCR, NAAT – (Polymerase Chain Reaction or Nucleic Acid Amplification tests) these are tests that are sent to labs and results take days, these tests detect the presence of the virus.
- Screening testing is no longer required to be offered or provided by schools. However, testing provides an opportunity for people who test positive to connect to treatment and allows schools to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Resources have been made available to schools to support testing. Schools may consider requiring testing before certain activities, such as choir, or contact sports. Community testing also remains available and can be located here.
Masking
- Universal masking is not currently required in the school setting but is recommended in indoor public settings when a community is in a High COVID-19 Community level.
- Local health departments (LHDs) and school districts and private schools may consult and collaborate on masking decisions.
- Wearing a well-fitting mask is recommended for those who were exposed and for isolation. Please see the Quarantine and Isolation sections above for additional detail. Additionally, people may choose to wear a mask because of increased risk for serious COVID outcomes or for another reason.
- If a school is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak masks can be added as a prevention strategy, regardless of the COVID-19 Community Level, to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 during an outbreak. Schools should confer with their local health department during an outbreak.
- According to the Commissioner’s Determination on Masking in Certain Indoor Settings Pursuant to 10 NYCRR 2.60 masking is required for public transportation conveyances and transportation hubs for all persons two years of age and older who are able to medically tolerate a face covering/mask, regardless of vaccination status.