The goal of the Middle School Health Services team is to work closely with students, families, and faculty to promote student health and wellness in an effort to achieve academic success for each student.  Our mission is to keep your child healthy so that he or she may fully benefit from the educational experience provided at Northampton Middle School.  The health room staff at Northampton Middle School is available to administer first aid for illness or injury sustained at school.   The School Nurse cannot be responsible for the diagnosis or treatment of student illness or injury and is not responsible for injuries that occur outside of the school day.  Every effort is made to provide comfort measures throughout the school day so students are able to return to the classroom when possible.  

There are two Nursing Professionals available daily to address illness and injuries occurring during the school day, and to assist your child in maintaining optimal health:

• Sharon Troxell, RN, Certified School Nurse - troxells@nasdschools.org

• Gloria Reenock, RN, Health Room Assistant - reenockg@nasdschools.org

    Phone and Fax Numbers

• Middle School Phone: 610-262-7819

• Middle School Nurse Fax:  610-261-3971 

• Main Office Fax: 610-262-6583

Reminders and answers to commonly asked question:

• Please remember to complete the Student Health Update Forms and Over-The-Counter Medication Forms yearly online through the Sapphire Parent Portal.  Over-the-counter medication may not be given to students in school without completion of the forms online.  No more than three (3) doses of analgesic will be administered per school year.

• Water bottles in school require a note from a physician and are good for one school year.  You may have your physician fax a note to the number above.

• The use of crutches and/or the elevator at school also requires a note from a physician.  If needed, a physician may fax a note to the number above as well.

• Students are encouraged to bring their own cough drops to school with the required note from a parent/guardian. 

• Students (especially girls) are encouraged to keep a spare pair of pants in their locker during the school year in case of soiling (ie - menstruation, spills in the lunchroom, rips and tears from falls, etc).  It will save parents from having to come to school to drop off new clothing during the school day.

• If a student becomes ill during a class period, the teacher in charge of the class writes a pass for the student to go to the nurse’s office.  After a nursing assessment, if the student’s condition warrants dismissal from school, a parent or emergency designee will be contacted to pick the student up. Unless medically indicated, every attempt is made to keep the student in school.  The school nurse notifies the parents. Under no circumstances should a student who is ill leave school without seeing the nurse. Students should not use their cell phones to call or text their parents instead of reporting to the nurse.

6th GRADE:  Pennsylvania School Law, 22 PA Code 14-1402, requires medical examinations for children entering grade 6 or upon transfer from another school without a physician’s report.

7th GRADE:  The Pennsylvania Department of Health at 28 PA Code chapter 23 has immunization requirements for all children who attend schools in the Commonwealth of PA.  The immunization laws supercede all other attendance requirements.  Students entering 7th grade require one dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) as well as one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV). A dental exam is also a required exam for all 7th graders.

Medication in School:  Please keep in mind that medications are to be given to students at home whenever possible. The following are a few brief points to keep in mind.   Please refer to complete board policy #210 for additional information.

1. A written request from the physician is required for administration of medication.

2. A written authorizations from parent is required for administration of medication.  (Forms for physician/parent request are available in school health rooms and on the district website.)

3. All medication MUST be delivered to school by a parent.  Students are NOT permitted to bring any medication to school (prescription or over the counter).

4. Prescription medication must have the appropriate pharmacy label with the following information:  name of student, name of medication, dose to be administered, time to be administered, route of administration (i.e. - by mouth, injection, inhaled, etc.).  

5. Labels must match what has been requested by physician to be given in school.

6. All medication requests expire at the end of the school year unless ordered to stop prior to that time.  

7. Any medication brought to school by a student will not be administered to the student in school.  Parents will be contacted to pick up medication from school and will be directed to obtain appropriate authorizations and requests.  

8. When medication is discontinued/end of school year - any remaining doses MUST be picked up by a parent.  Medication will NOT be send home with students.  If medication is not retrieved within 60 days, it will be destroyed.

Additional information regarding Health Services can be found on our main district website under Health Services, forms for physical examinations, dental examinations, and medications are located there for your convenience. Click here for the NASD Health Services webpage.