Branchburg Township School District

Physical Examinations: Children who enter the district for the first time are required to have a PHYSICAL EXAMINATION by a licensed physician, physician's assistant, or certified nurse practitioner. Branchburg School Health Services recommends subsequent medical examinations of children at least once during each developmental stage, at early childhood (pre-school through grade three), pre-adolescence (grades four through six) and adolescence (grade seven through twelve).

Middle school students who wish to try-out and participate in an INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORT require a current PHYSICAL EXAMINATION FORM (within 365 days). For each sport your child wishes to try-out for, a new HISTORY FORM form must be completed by the parent/guardian. Only one current physical exam is required per school year, however participation in subsequent sports requires the completion of a new History Form with each sport.

Immunizations: Please review NJ Department of Health Immunization Requirements. Additionally, the law requires a record of immunizations. The documented record of immunizations will be accepted from (1) a licensed physician, (2) school health record form (A-45) from a New Jersey school district, (3) a governmental Health Agency, or (4) any documented school health form from districts outside of New Jersey, but within the United States. If a child enters the district from an identified high-risk country or is born in an identified high-risk country a valid record of a Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test must be presented. By state law, the Mantoux (PPD) test will only be considered valid if administered within the prior six months. If a child is born in an identified high-risk county his/her Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test must have been given after age three.

In accordance with school policy and state mandates, if your child needs to take any prescription or over the counter medications during school, the following procedure must be followed before the school nurse will administer medication to your child.

The four necessary requirements are:

• Provide written physician statement identifying the type, dosage and purpose of the medication.
• Provide written parent/guardian permission for nurse to give the medication prescribed by physician.
• Provide medication in original labeled pharmacy container(pharmacies will provide an extra labeled container) with the child's name, date, name of medication, dosage schedule and physician's name. Nonprescription drugs are to be in original container.
• Parent/guardian (not the child) must bring in all medication to the school nurse.

MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION FORM needed for the School Nurse to administer medicine during the school day.

In 1997 New Jersey legislature passed a law that allows a student to carry and self-administer an Epi-Pen and/or self-administer an inhaler if he/she is diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening condition, which would warrant the immediate use of these medications.

• Physician's Orders for Allergy Emergency Treatment Form
• Asthma Treatment Plan - Student Form

Additionally, in 1997 the state of New Jersey also passed legislation allowing a staff member (teacher, aide, secretary, etc.) to be designated as the person who will administer an EpiPen to a child diagnosed with a severe allergic response to peanuts, nuts, other foods or insect stings in the absence of the school nurse.

New Jersey State Mandated Screening Program: Screening Assessments Chart
The Branchburg Township school nurses are responsible for conducting health screenings. These screenings include height, weight, blood pressure, hearing, vision, and scoliosis. Screening for height, weight and blood pressure are conducted annually for all students. Screening for auditory acuity is conducted annually for students in Kindergarten through grade 3 and in grade 7. Screening for visual acuity is conducted biennially (every two years) for students in Kindergarten through grade 8. Screening for scoliosis is conducted biennially for students between the ages of 10 and 18. Therefore, in the Branchburg Township Schools, students are screened for scoliosis in grades 5 and 7.

Helpful Health Tip: Make a copy of all your child's health-related forms and store them in your child's medical file at home. This should include your child's completed physical examination form, physician reports (primary care physician and specialists), physical education excuses written by your child's physician, dental reports, and any other documents you receive regarding the health of your child.

If you have any questions regarding the school health program, please call the nurse in your child's building. We thank you for your cooperation and remain committed to serving as advocates for the children of the Branchburg School District.

State law requires that a current, cleared PHYSICAL EXAMINATION form be on file in the health office for a student wishing to try-out/participate in a specific interscholastic or intramural sport. The physical examination shall be conducted within 365 days prior to the first practice session (try-out session). It is highly recommended that your primary care physician complete the Physical Examination, however the student's parent/guardian may choose either the child's own private physician or the school physician to perform the physical examination. To make arrangements for a sport physical examination by the school physicians, please call Hunterdon Family Medicine at Bridgewater at 908-237-4135.

For each individual sport season (Fall, Winter, Spring) your child wishes to try out for, ONLY a new, current HISTORY form must be completed by the parent/guardian.

The deadline to turn in medical forms in order to try out for a Fall Sport is during August (please check Athletics Webpage for exact dates).  Paperwork will NOT be accepted after the due date. If paperwork is not in by the due date, the student will not be eligible to participate in athletics.