Health Services

MOST UPDATED Information from DESE and CDC December 2021:

DESE DPH Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios-SY2021-22 with highlights

Dear Parents and Guardians:

In accordance with Massachusetts General Law, the health offices will be conducted mandated screenings throughout the school year.  These screenings are not intended to be diagnostic but to create an awareness of health issues that may require further evaluation from your primary care provider.

The screenings are designated by grade as follows:

1. Hearing screening:  Preschool, Kindergarten, Grades 1–3, Grade 7, Grade 10
2. Vision screening:  Preschool, Kindergarten, Grades 1–5, Grade 7, Grade 10
3. Postural screening: Grades 5–9
4. Body Mass Index (BMI) including height, and weight: Grades 1, 4, 7, and 10
5. SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) regarding substance use: Grades 7 and 9

• You will be informed only if your child’s screening indicates concern and need for referral to your primary care provider. A notice will be sent home requesting you contact your child’s physician to arrange for appropriate follow up.
• Parents will only receive notification of the BMI results if they request it by contacting the school nurse.
• Parents and guardians who do not wish for their child to participate in any part of the screening program must send a written request to the school nurse.

If you have any questions, please direct them to your child’s school nurse. We thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Westport Community Schools Nursing Staff

Health and Covid Policies 2021

Before coming to school or getting on the bus, families should assess their child’s state of wellness before leaving home for school. Students should not come to school if experiencing the following: 

• Fever (100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills 
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath 
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle aches or body aches 
• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough) 
• Sore throat when in combination with other symptoms 
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms  Headache when in combination with other symptoms 
• Fatigue when in combination with other symptoms 
• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptom

Students must stay home if they are not feeling well!

If the student has any symptoms of COVID-19, they should not attend school. The family should notify their school nurse that the child will be absent and the reason for the absence. The school nurse will follow-up with the family regarding the child’s symptoms, whether the child was seen by a medical professional and any testing that was done. The child can return to school once cleared by the school nurse and/or the Westport Board of Health.

It is important to know the symptoms of COVID-19 mimic the symptoms of many other illnesses. To protect all students and staff, any symptoms of COVID-19 will be treated as a suspected case until determined otherwise.

If a child becomes ill at school and the nurse determines they need to be dismissed families will be notified and for everyone’s safety asked to pick up the child within 30 minutes and complete recommended follow up;

Students with a temperature above 100 degrees should not attend school until they have been fever-free (under 100 degrees) for 24 hours without the use of antipyretic medication, such Tylenol, Motrin, Advil or ibuprofen.

Handwashing should be done often during the school day. If your child is unable to wash their hands and/or use an alcohol-based Hand Sanitizer, please contact your child’s school nurse to discuss alternatives.

Masks: Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) new mandate, guidelines and recommendations the Westport school committee has made the decision that students are no longer required to wear masks in school and on the bus. However students will still be required to wear a mask when entering our nurse's office.

Flu Information

Flu season in Massachusetts usually starts in the fall and runs through the spring. The main symptoms of influenza (flu) include fever in combination with a cough and/or sore throat. Some people may also have a runny nose, body aches, headache, chills, and feel tired. Some people (especially young children) may also have diarrhea and vomiting.

To keep flu from spreading in the community it is important to keep your sick child at home when he or she has the flu. Use this form during flu season to determine whether your child should attend school or child care. Please review the flu symptom check list below!

• Flu Symptom Checklist (2015)
• Flu Guide for Parents (2021)