Nurses
Physical Exams and Immunizations
Massachusetts General Law Chapter 76, Section 15, mandates that all students entering high school must submit a current physical examination along with documentation of immunizations. For new students, a list of current immunizations must be submitted prior to the first day of school to prevent delays in admission. Please note, a physical examination is required on an annual basis for participation in athletics.
Annual Health Form
A completed Annual Health Form for all students needs to be returned to the Heath Office annually. This information will help us to best care for your child during the school year. The form has medication permission for Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and Tums which can be administered to your child during the school year if needed. This form is part of the admissions packet for new students therefore, another copy is not needed if you already filled one out this year.
Meningococcal Requirements
Grade 11: 2 doses; second dose MenACWY (formerly MCV4) must be given on or after the 16th birthday and within 8 weeks after the previous dose. 1 dose is acceptable if it was given on or after the 16th birthday. *Meningococcal B vaccine is not required and does not meet this requirement.
Further Immunization Information
- School immunization requirements apply to all Massachusetts students enrolled in K-12, regardless of whether the district is providing instruction in-person, or using a hybrid or remote learning model.
- For student comfort and attendance, we recommend scheduling vaccinations after school on Fridays when possible. Common side effects such as fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and arm soreness (seen with flu and meningococcal vaccines) may occur and could temporarily prevent students from attending school the following day. If your child receives the vaccine(s) and they have any side effects, please contact their provider for guidance.
- If your child is exempt from vaccines we will need our Minuteman Immunization Requirements Exemption Form completed annually and returned to the health office.
Medications
All other medications require completion of a Minuteman Medication Permission Form which needs a written physician’s order by your child’s own provider. Prescription medications must be in a pharmacy labeled container and brought to the Health Office by a parent/guardian. All visitors to Minuteman need to have a scheduled appointment. If you need to drop off medication for your child, please email the Minuteman Health Office or contact the health office at 781-918-6755to schedule a visit.
Action Safety Plans
Any student who has been identified as having a Life-Threatening Allergy (LTA), Asthma, Diabetes, or Seizure Disorder is required to have an individualized safety plan on file. These plans must be obtained from the student’s own healthcare provider and returned to the Health Office annually. Asthma inhalers, insulin pumps/supplies, and epinephrine auto-injectors (e.g., EpiPen/Auvi-Q) must be self-carried and may be self-administered by students with appropriate physician orders on file in the Health Office. Students are required to carry their own diabetes supplies, labeled auto-injector, and/or inhaler daily at school and for field trips.
State Mandated Screenings
Our school is required to conduct all state mandated screenings. If you do not want your child to be screened please complete the Annual Health Form above OR send in a written request to the Health Office via email before the first day of school. Follow up notices are only sent home for students who do not pass the screenings.
Screening Schedule
- 9th Grade: Hearing, Vision, and Postural screenings and SBIRT, please visit www.masbirt.org for more information
- 10th Grade: Height/Weight (BMI)
Field Trips
- If your child has an allergy and/or asthma, which necessitates an EpiPen and/or inhaler, they will be required to show medication(s) to the teacher attending the trip prior to departure. It is the responsibility of the student to carry the medication(s) with them throughout the field trip.
- If your child has diabetes, the student will be required to check in with the nurse prior to departing for the field trip.
Medications and Overnight Field Trips
If your child requires medication on an overnight field trip please contact the nurse's office as soon as possible to discuss. All medications for an overnight field trip must be disclosed on an In-State OR Out-of-State Field Trip Medication Form that health office staff will provide to the chaperone. If you have any questions please contact our office at nurse@minuteman.org or 781-918-6755.
Sports and Physical Education
Physical exams for school athletics are valid for 13 months from the date of their completion. Please register for sports via the athletic department and upload a copy of your child's physical exam annually to ensure uninterrupted participation in school athletics.
Students who have sustained an injury or concussion must submit written clearance from their medical provider allowing them to participate in sports/physical education without restrictions. Please have your child's healthcare provider complete this form if they require modification to sports and/or physical education.
Electronic Health Record and Confidentiality
We utilize our electronic health record, SNAP, to document student visits. If you have any questions or there are any changes to your child’s health during the school year that you would like us to be aware of please do not hesitate to contact us. Our primary mission is to provide health services to support every child’s academic and CTE success!
Please note that confidentially of student health information is of the utmost importance to us. All student health records are kept confidential and only necessary information is shared with school personnel directly involved with the care of your child. We understand that a lot of health information is requested by our office. Any health information requested by the nurses is necessary to provide best care for your child at Minuteman.
Please be advised, due to privacy laws, Minuteman is not able to share any health information with the transportation company. If you believe the bus driver should be aware of any health-related information for your child, please speak directly with the bus driver or contact the school and the bus company contact information can be provided to you.
Contact Information
Email: nurse@minuteman.org
Office Number: 781-918-6755
Confidential Nurses' Office Fax: 781-861-3421
Absences
Please call 781-274-1026 for absences or to schedule early dismissals for appointments. Please visit the attendance page for more information.
Office Hours
Monday-Friday: 7:40am-2:30pm in accordance with the school calendar. Please note that on scheduled half days, the office will close earlier.