Middle School and High School Health Office Staff
Amy Hiquet BSN, RN Certified School Nurse
High School: 814-641-2154
Fax: 814-643-3800
Middle School: 814-641-2188
Fax: 814-643-6513
ahiquet@huntsd.org
Kristina Tharp, LPN
ktharp@huntsd.org
Standing Stone and Southside Elementary Health Office Staff
Amber Gregg BSN, RN, PMH-BC, CCAP, Certified School Nurse
Standing Stone: 814-643-0771 ext. 4208
Fax: 814-643-5947
Southside: 814-627-1100 ext 5112
Fax: 814-627-0301
agregg@huntsd.org
Linda Ross, LPN
lross@huntsd.org
My name is Amber Gregg and I have been a nurse for 15 years. I hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Penn State University. I am also nationally board certified in psychiatric mental health nursing, and a certified school nurse with additional training. I have worked in various areas of health care. I have worked at Mount Nittany Medical Center, and Lehigh Valley Hospital. I have worked for a home health company caring for pediatric patients, young adults and the elderly. I have been with Huntingdon Area School District since 2020. Currently in my role as a school nurse, I wear many hats. I am also an educator. I teach staff and students about health promotion and wellness. I also function as a case manager and advocate for students and their families. As a school nurse, I observe many students with unmet health needs, which poses a barrier to learning and academic success, as well as causing chronic absenteeism. It is my job to identify those barriers, problem solve, and come up with a plan and provide resources and referrals to students and families to ensure that they have access to the care they need. I will then follow-up with them to make sure they received necessary care. My work as a school nurse can have a positive lifelong impact.
Screenings
Physical
The PA school code requires physical examinations for grades K, 6, 11, or upon original entry in Pennsylvania schools. The physical examinations may be obtained from your private physician up to 1 year prior to the student starting the grade. If there are financial hardships or special situations, the school physical examination can be completed by the school physician with written permission.
Please keep the school nurse informed of medical problems and limitations of activities as they occur throughout your child’s school life. The school nurse can help modify a student’s activities if needed.
Please have the forms completed and return to the school nurse by April 1, 2024. If we do not receive these forms your child will see the school physician at no cost to you.
Physical Forms
Dental
The PA school code requires dental examinations in grades K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and all transfer students out of state.
Please have the forms completed and return to the school nurse by April 1, 2024. If we do not receive these forms your child will see the school denist at no cost to you.
Dental Forms
Hearing
All students in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 7, 11, and students in special education will have a hearing test given by the school nurse. Students will also be screened on an as needed basis.
Vision
Vision screening testing visual acuity shall be conducted yearly on every child, grades K through 12. Additional tests are conducted at certain grade levels and may include tests for near vision, amblyopia, color perception, and stereopsis. Students will also be screened on an as needed basis.
Height and Weight
Your child’s height, weight, and BMI percentile is completed yearly in grades K through 12.
Scoliosis
An Individualized Health Plan (IHP) and/or Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is valid for one academic school year. The IHPs and EAPs are available from the school nurse for students with acute and/or chronic health conditions (e.g., severe allergic reactions/ anaphylaxis, diabetes,, asthma, seizures, sickle cell anemia, cardiac, orthopedic conditions, etc.) Forms and health plans are also available for students with special health needs requiring procedures, treatments, and/or medications to be administered at school. The parents/guardians are responsible for providing medications and/or supplies needed during the school year. The parents/guardians are also responsible for notifying the school and school nurse for any changes in their child’s health condition, care, medication, and contact numbers.
The following are the available EAPs and IHPs:
A new form must be submitted to the school nurse each time there is a change in medication, dosage, or time of administration. Parents must deliver the medication to school (no medications should be brought on the bus with the students). Students are NEVER to keep medications of any kind (Tylenol, cough drops or cold medicine) on them or in any of their belongings (except inhalers or epi-pens ordered by the physician to be carried with them).
MEDICATION POLICY
The guidelines for Huntingdon Area School District indicate that all children’s medication be administered at home
Medications other than those covered by the school doctor’s standing orders MUST have a medication order from a
licensed prescriber. This includes over-the-counter medication and non-prescription medication. However, if under
exceptional circumstances a child is required to take medication during school hours, the parent and learner must
comply with school regulations. These regulations include the following:
1. Written request from the licensed prescriber that medication be administered to the learner. Included must
be the name of the learner, name of the medication, dosage, time to be administered, diagnosis, and
possible side effects.
2. Learners are not permitted to transport medication to school.
a. All medication must be brought to school by a parent/guardian or a responsible adult.
b. All medication must be in a prescription bottle with the current date and name of the learner on the
bottle. Medications in plastic bags or containers other than original containers areNOT acceptable.
c. Parent/Guardian must send enough medicine to school to cover the prescription until a refill is
needed.
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d. Parent/Guardian must anticipate when medication supply will run out in order to replenish the
supply.
e. Empty medication containers will not be sent home with learners.
3. Under no circumstances will any learner be permitted to transport medication, except for inhalers for
asthma, insulin for diabetes, or Epinephrine for allergic reactions as ordered by a licensed prescriber.
4. Medication that is to be given 3 times a day may be given before school, immediately after school, and at
bedtime – at home.
Forms
Every student MUST have an emergency form filed in the Health Office. To keep information current, emergency forms are issued to all students each school year. Please contact your child’s school nurse in the event that any of the information changes throughout the year. CORRECT information provided on this form is vital especially in an emergency situation. PLEASE FILL OUT THE EMERGENCY FORM COMPLETELY! It is imperative that the following information be provided:
- Phone Numbers where parents/guardians can be reached at home, at work, or even when out running errands. Please include all cell phone and/or beeper numbers when available. Please update this information as necessary.
- Emergency Contacts: Please provide names and phone numbers of persons who are WILLING and ABLE to transport, care for, and assume responsibility for your child in case of illness or injury. This is a serious undertaking and should be arranged by mutual consent. Please be sure that the designated persons are LOCAL AND AVAILABLE during the school day.
- Medical Conditions: Please provide information regarding medical conditions/chronic illness/diseases, all medications taken (at home and at school), all allergies, including medications, insect stings, foods, and environment. In an emergency situation, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THIS INFORMATION BE COMPLETE, DETAILED, AND ACCURATE. If 911 needs to be called, a copy of this information will be sent to the hospital with the EMS personnel.
- Parent/Guardian Signatures: The parent/guardian’s signature is required on the emergency form. This signature on the emergency form allows emergency personnel to transport your child to the nearest medical facility in the event of an emergency and you or an emergency contact cannot be reached. It also allows for over the counter medications to be used for First Aid.
Forms
Medical Form for Students with Special Dietary Needs The Special Dietary Needs form is for use in the HASD National School Breakfast, Lunch, programs administered by the Department of Food and Nutrition. Should your child require special medical consideration for a condition unrelated to dietary needs, please contact your child’s school nurse. This Food and Nutrition form should be completed and turned into your child’s school health room if:
1) Your child is new to HASD and has a special dietary need
OR
2) Your child develops a special dietary need that has not been requested/reported in the past OR
3) Your child’s special dietary needs change
Forms do not need to be submitted each year – once a form has been submitted, the information will follow a student from year to year. Another form should be submitted only if there is a change to a student’s special dietary need.
Parents/Guardians – Complete Part I ONLY
Physicians – Complete Part II only if the student requires a special diet that is classified as a disability or medically identifies a specific food allergy. (Any information completed in Section II without a physician’s signature and phone number will be disregarded.)
The completed form should be turned in to your child’s school health room.
Forms
Extra Clothes
Yes, sometimes, accidents do happen, as well as spilling drinks on themselves and getting their clothing wet while playing outside.
Please pack an extra set of seasonally appropriate clothing for your child in their backpack in case of an accident: Shirt, Pants/Shorts, Underwear and Socks.
Please note, I have limited clothing items in the clinic and you may be called to bring clothing or pick your student up from school.