The Health Services Clinic is located just inside the main entrance; the first door on the right, across from the attendance window. We are open from 7-2:30 each school day. Our job is to provide assistance with school related injuries, illnesses, medication administration and prescribed treatments as well as state and local mandated health screenings for 9th and 10th graders. Each new student to the school division also receives a health screening. We are responsible for assuring that all students are properly immunized to meet state requirements. I am also involved with the Student Support Team and work closely with the Guidance Department to help meet the needs of our students.

Regarding medication during school hours: It is a Virginia Beach School Board regulation that any student required to take medication during school hours must have written permission from a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant. This pertains to both prescription and over the counter medication. Blank medication forms may be obtained from the clinic, main office or on the VBCPS.COM website. Also many physicians keep them in their offices. ALL portions of the form must be completed and NO medication can be given without a complete doctor’s order. Medications should be brought directly to the clinic by a parent, guardian or adult and needs to be in the original prescription bottle with student’s name, medication name and dosage on it. The bottle needs to match the doctor’s order. Over the counter medication should be brought in an unopened bottle.

Know that you may come to school at any time to give medication to your student. Please do not encourage them to carry a couple Tylenol or Motrin with them in case they need it. If they are discovered carrying medication they may face serious consequences even for carrying over the counter medication onto school property. To avoid all of that, if your child is prone to headaches or female cramps, we suggest that you ask your doctor to sign a medication form for a “when needed” medication. As long as you submit a completed physician signed medication from and bring the medication in its original container, we’d be happy to administer it when needed.

As with most rules, there are a couple exceptions to the NO CARRY medication rule. If your child has asthma and uses an inhaler, as long as your doctor completes the necessary paperwork (it’s a different form from the regular administration of medication form) and we have it on file in the clinic, your child may carry his inhaler with him at school. This is particularly helpful for students that stay for after school activities since the clinic closes at 2:30. Some students carry an inhaler and also leave one in the clinic just in case they forget theirs. Epipen forms are also available in case your student needs it for severe allergic reactions.

It would be very helpful if you’d let us know about any medical or health related conditions your child has that may have an impact on their performance at school like diabetes, a seizure disorder, severe asthma, or attention deficit disorder.  Please don’t assume that we know about all health conditions from year to year. If you let us know up front we will inform teachers about these conditions. If your student has an issue which comes up during the school year such as a broken leg or hospital stay, please let us know. We issue elevator passes from the clinic and like to know when our students are in the hospital so we can help with the transition back to school. That way we can best serve your child and meet his or her needs.  

One final suggestion is please encourage your student to eat breakfast. Even if it’s a matter of grabbing some juice, a piece of fruit or a breakfast bar on the way out the door or arrive in time to get breakfast at school, students need to eat something so they don’t start the day with a growling stomach and feel sick by second block.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call (648-5508) or come by the clinic if we can be of assistance to you.