Middle School Health Office

  • Welcome to the Cornwall Middle School Health Office. It is our goal to promote and protect the health and wellness of our school community. This site will provide you with school guidelines, services offered, New York State mandated requirements, and health and safety information. We look forward to assisting your child in a healthy, successful, and safe school year.

      Illness Guidelines

      • The following are guidelines to ensure a healthy learning environment where each student’s potential to learn and grow is maximized.

        Please keep your child home if any of the following occurs:

        • Temperature of 100 degrees or higher within the last 24 hours     
          • A student must be fever-free for 24 hours, without the use of medication to mask the symptoms.
        • Vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
        • Rash of unknown cause
        • Persistent cough, runny nose, congestion, fatigue, or body aches  (not related to allergies)
        • Redness, itching, or discharge from eyes  (not related to allergies)
        • Students with Strep Throat need to be treated with antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.
        • ​​​​​​​Weeping cold sores or other lesions (such as Impetigo) until under treatment

        Why:

        • To protect your child from exposure to other illness before he/she is able to build resistance.
        • To protect other students and staff from a communicable disease that your child may transmit.

        REMEMBER hand-washing is the most effective means of protecting the spread of communicable diseases.  Remind your children to wash their hands frequently and cover their nose and mouths when coughing and sneezing.  Enclose hand wipes in your child’s backpack and lunch box to ensure cleaner hands throughout the school day!

        BREAKFAST – Don’t leave without it!

        Many students come to school without eating breakfast.  If they are hungry they may feel light-headed, dizzy, restless, or inattentive.  They may complain of a headache or stomachache.  Their ability to learn will be impaired.  Please encourage your child to eat a nutritious food and beverage before leaving for school.  If students are unable to eat breakfast at home, please encourage them to buy breakfast in the school cafeteria!

      Flu Q & A

      • Is the flu more serious for kids?

        Posted by:

        Infants and young children are at a greater risk for getting seriously ill from the flu. That’s why the New York State Department of Health recommends that all children 6 months and older get a flu vaccine.

        Comments (-1)
      • A flu shot may save your child’s life.

        Posted by:

        Most people with the flu are sick for about a week, and then they feel better. But, some people, especially young children, pregnant women, older people, and people with chronic health problems can get very sick. Some can even die. A flu vaccine is the best way to protect your child from the flu.

        Comments (-1)
      • What is the flu?

        Posted by:

        The flu, or influenza, is a viral infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. The flu can spread from person to person.

        Comments (-1)
      • Flu shot or nasalspray vaccine?

        Posted by:
        • Flu shots can be given to children 6 months and older.
        • A nasal-spray vaccine can be given to healthy children 2 years and older.
        • Children younger than 5 years who have had wheezing in the past year –or any child with chronic health problems --should get the flu shot, not the nasal-spray vaccine.
        • Children younger than 9 years old who get a vaccine for the first time need two doses.
        Comments (-1)
      • How else can I protect my child?

        Posted by:
        1. Get the flu vaccine for yourself.
        2. Encourage your child’s close contacts to get a flu vaccine, too. This is very important if your child is younger than 5 or if he or she has a chronic health
        3. problem like asthma (breathing disease) or diabetes (high blood sugar levels).
        4. Clean your hands often and cover your coughs and sneezes. This will prevent the spread of germs.
        5. Tell your children to:
          • stay away from people who are sick;
          • clean their hands often;
          • keep their hands away from their face, and
          • cover coughs and sneezes to protect others. It’s best to use a tissue and quickly throw it away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
        Comments (-1)
      • What are signs of the flu?

        Posted by:

        The flu comes on suddenly. Most people with the flu feel very tired and have a high fever, headache, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and sore muscles. Some people, especially children, may also have stomach problems and diarrhea. The cough can last two or more weeks.

        Comments (-1)

      Flu Guide for Parents

      • Keeping Children Safe from the Flu

        Posted by:

        You keep your child warm in the winter. And you make sure he or she eats well every day. So, keep your child safe from the flu, too. Get your child’s flu shot every fall or winter.

        Comments (-1)
      • How does the flu spread?

        Posted by:

        People who have the flu usually cough, sneeze, and have a runny nose. The droplets in a cough, sneeze or runny nose contain the flu virus. Other people can get the flu by breathing in these droplets or by getting them in their nose or mouth.

        Comments (-1)
      • How long can a sick person spread the flu to others?

        Posted by:

        Most healthy adults may be able to spread the flu from one day before getting sick to up to 5 days after getting sick. This can be longer in children and in people who don’t fight disease as well (people with weaker immune systems).

        Comments (-1)
      • What should I use to clean hands?

        Posted by:

        Wash your children’s hands with soap and water. Clean them for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. If soap and water are not handy, use wipes or gels with alcohol in them. The gels should be rubbed into hands until the hands are dry.

        Comments (-1)
      • What can I do if my child gets sick?

        Posted by:

        Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks lots of fluids. Talk with your child’s doctor before giving your child over-the-counter medicine. If your children or teenagers may have the flu, never give them aspirin, or medicine that has aspirin in it. It could cause serious problems.

        Comments (-1)
      • Can my child go to school/day care with the flu?

        Posted by:

        No. If your child has the flu, he or she should stay home to rest. This helps avoid giving the flu to other children.

        Comments (-1)
      • When can my child go back to school/day care after having the flu?

        Posted by:

        Keep your child home from school/day care until his or her temperature has been normal for 24 hours. Remind your child to protect others by covering his or her mouth when coughing or sneezing. You may want to send your child to school with some tissues, wipes or gels with alcohol in them

        Comments (-1)
      • For More Information About the Flu Visit:

        Posted by:

        Influenza Fact Sheet

        Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

        Comments (-1)

      Positive Healthy Habits

      • Health and education go hand-in-hand.  Students will perform better academically if they are healthy and physically fit.  Students are encouraged to EAT RIGHT, EXERCISE, and ENERGIZE

        • All students should start their day with a nutritious breakfast.  They will perform, behave, and feel better in school.  Remember, if your child is running late or can not eat when first waking up, the CCMS cafeteria serves breakfast daily.
        • Add colorful fruits and vegetables to your child’s diet.  Children need vitamins, minerals, and fiber to stay healthy.  Try the “5 A Day” serving your family 5 fruits and 5 vegetables each day.  For more information, go to www.5aday.org.
        • Encourage your child to remain active.  There are many after-school programs here at CCMS that challenge students to be physically fit.

        Developing healthy habits is the POSITIVE way to start the school year.

        School Breakfast Information:

        Serving Time is 1/2 hour before school starts   

        • Breakfast is freefor students who qualify for free meals.
        • Breakfast isfree for students who qualify for reduced cost of meals.

         Breakfast items include milk, juices, cold cereal, bagels, yogurt, graham crackers, and fresh fruit.

        All students are welcome every day!

      Lyme Disease

      • The month of May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

        Lyme disease is an acute inflammatory disease caused by the bite of a tick.   Lyme disease is spread through the bite of ticks which carry Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium.

        Untreated Lyme disease can produce a wide range of symptoms, depending on the stage of infection. These include fever, rash, facial paralysis, and arthritis.  Seekmedical attention if you observe any of these symptoms and have had a tick bite, live in an area known for Lyme disease, or have recently traveled to an areawhere lyme disease occurs.     (http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/index.html).

        Perform daily tick checks.   Always check for ticks after being outdoors, even in your own yard. Because ticks must usually be attached for at least a day before they can transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, early removal can reduce the risk of infection.  (CDC.gov) 

        Early Signs and Symptoms of Lyme Disease (3 to 30 days after tick bite)

        • Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes
        • Erythema migrans (EM) rash:
          • Occurs in approximately 70 to 80 percent of infected persons
          • Begins at the site of a tick bite after a delay of 3 to 30 days (average is about 7 days)
          • Expands gradually over a period of days reaching up to 12 inches or more (30 cm) across
          • May feel warm to the touch but is rarely itchy or painful
          • Sometimes clears as it enlarges, resulting in a target or “bull's-eye” appearance
          • May appear on any area of the body
          • See examples of EM rashes(http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/rashes.html)

        Later Signs and Symptoms (days to months after tick bite)

        • Severe headaches and neck stiffness
        • Additional EM rashes on other areas of the body
        • Arthritis with severe joint pain and swelling, particularly the knees and other large joints.
        • Facial or Bell's palsy (loss of muscle tone or droop on one or both sides of the face)
        • Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones
        • Heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat
        • (Lyme carditis(http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/lymecarditis.html))
        • Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath
        • Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
        • Nerve pain
        • Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet
        • Problems with short-term memory                            

        If you find a tick attached to your skin, there's no need to panic. Several tick removal devices are available on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers will remove a tick effectively.

        How to remove a tick

        1. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
        2. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
        3. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
        4. Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.

        Tic Removal

        Follow-up

        If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and where you most likely acquired the tick.

        Helpful Hint

        Avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible--do not wait for it to detach.

      Adolescent Health Concerns

      • National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week (NIPAW) occurs each year during March. NIPAW is a community-level, all-inclusive program designed toincrease understanding about the abuse and risks of inhalants.

        Also known as "huffing," "dusting," or "bagging," inhalant abuse is the deliberate concentration or sniffing of fumes, vapors or gases from common products found in homes, communities and schools for the purpose of "getting high." You're more than likely familiar with many of these substances - spray paint, aerosols, glue, markers, correction fluid, computer dusters, body sprays, and others; however, you probably don't know that there are more than 1,400 everyday products that are very dangerous when inhaled. It's important to stress that when used as intended, these products are safe, serve a useful purpose and enhance our quality of life, but when intentionally misused they can inflict irreversible damage to the body and be deadly.

        Listed below are links to websites for additional info on inhalant and other substance abuse issues.

        DANGEROUS NEW HIGH:  “THE CHOKING GAME IS RISKY BUSINESS”

        You may not know about “the choking game,” but your kids do.  An increasing number of pre-teens and adolescents nationwide are playing with their lives in this risky, potentially deadly game that has been called “asphyxiation roulette.” 

        The game is played to induce fainting: Passing-out and coming-to create feelings of mild euphoria.  Kids consider it a “safe” high, because there are no drugs or alcohol involved.  But the results can be devastating.

        Watch for these physical and emotional warning signs:

        • Bloodshot eyes
        • Tiny red dots on face
        • Headaches
        • Bruising, marks on neck
        • Aggressive attitude
        • Disorientation after being alone
        • Privacy demands
        • Curiosity about asphyxiation
        • Increased irritability
        • Locked/blocked doors
        • Ligature items
        • Scuff marks on furniture

        There’s a wealth of information online to help educate yourself and your children:

        This is article is courtesy of Jason Upchurch, Advertising Department Copywriter, Times Herald-Record.

        How to Protect Your Child from Diabetes:

        Obesity is one of the leading risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes in childhood, but it doesn’t have to affect your family.  Try these 5 tips from the National Institute of Health to help your child maintain a healthy weight.

        1. Set guidelines for how long your child can watch television or play video games.
        2. Plan family activities that involve exercise.
        3. Eat meals together around the table.
        4. Involve your child in meal planning and shopping.
        5. Keep healthy snacks on hand.

        Many studies show obesity may be to blame for high rates of childhood diabetes.  Do you know how to protect your children?  For information about children and diabetes, call the Diabetes Treatment Center at Orange Regional Medical Center at 845-342-7555.

        This article is courtesy of Orange Regional Medical Center.

      Health and Safety Resources for Parents

      For Parents/Guardians of Students Entering 6th Grade

      •  All 6th grade students who are eleven years old must receive the Tdap immunization before the first day of school in September.  Due to recent revisions, students entering 6th grade are now required to have 2 doses of the Varicella vaccine (Chickenpox). Students are also required to have a minimum of 3 doses of Polio vaccine.  However,  one dose of Polio vaccine must be administered AFTER AGE 4.  Many students already have the required doses of Varicella and Polio vaccines.  Please check with your Health Care Provider to make sure your child has all the needed immunizations.  You must provide written documentation from your Health Care Provider, to the Cornwall Central Middle School Health Office, by the first day of school in September.  Students "out of compliance" will be excluded from school in accordance with NYS Public Health Law.   For more information, please read “ IMMUNIZATION UPDATES” at this web site.

      For Parents/Guardians of Students Entering 7th Grade

      • In accordance with NYS Department of Health, Public Health Law 2164, all children entering 7th grade on or after September 1, are now required to receive a vaccine against meningococcal disease.  (Brand names: Menactra or Menveo)  Students who receive this vaccine in 6th grade fulfill the 7th grade requirement.  Medical documentation must be provided to the CCMS Health Office by the first day of school in September.  For more information please see NYSDOH Meningococcal Disease Fact Sheet by clicking here. In addition, all SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS are required by New York State Law to have a physical examination.  A copy of the Health Certificate must be provided to the CCMS Health Office by October 1.   

        A dental examination is also requested, but not required, for students entering seventh grade. 

      School Nurses

      • Ms. M. McGorman, BSN, RN
        Mrs. B. Masucci, BSN, RN
        Phone: (845) 534-8009 ext. 4010
        Fax: (845) 534-8309