Student Health, Safety, and Security

  1. Student Medical Information

    Cornerstone Christian Academy complies with the State of Pennsylvania mandated student health program.  All children entering school for the first time (Kindergarten) and children in 6th grade are required to have a Physical Examination by their doctor.  Additionally, all children entering school for the first time (Kindergarten) as well as 3rd and 7th grade students are required to have a Dental Examination.  Students are required to have physical and dental examination forms on file before entry into school.  

    Proof of the following Immunizations are required to be on file on or before the first day of school or risk the child’s exclusion from entering:

    Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (DTaP): 4 doses (one dose on or after 4th birthday)
    Polio (OPV/IPV): 4 doses (4th dose on or after 4th birthday)
    Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR): 2 doses (on or after 1st birthday)
    Hepatitis B Series (HBV): 3 doses
    Chickenpox (Varicella/MMRV): 2 doses (on or after 1st birthday)

    Rising 7th Grade students:

    Meningococcal (MCV): 2 doses (1st dose at 11-15 years old; 2nd dose at age 16)
    Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis (Tdap): 1 dose

  2. School Nurse

    The School District of Philadelphia provides a certified school nurse who is at the school every Monday. The nurse is responsible to alert school personnel and parents of any deficient health records. Students with incomplete or insufficient health records may not be permitted to attend school until the records are complete. The nurse is required to report all communicable diseases to the appropriate authorities. 

  3. Administration of Medicine

    Parents/Guardians must personally deliver ALL medications to the Main Office, including inhalers, liquid medication for nebulizers, EpiPens, insulin, pills, and/or over-the-counter medication.  Students are not permitted to give medications to their teacher or to the office staff. All medications must have the prescription label on them. Inhalers must be in the box with the label. If you don’t have the box, please ask the pharmacist to give you a new one.  Over-the-counter medications must also be properly labeled.  

    Students requiring medication during school hours are required to have a “Request for Administration of Medication” form (MED-1 form) completed by a doctor and returned to the Main Office when parents/guardians bring the medication to the school.  Med-1 forms are in the Main Office or available from the doctor. If a student is carrying an inhaler in their backpack to and from school, the health care provider needs to specify on the MED-1 form that the child is “Allowed to Carry” the medication. NOTE REGARDING INHALERS: Students who have an inhaler are to come to the school nurse with inhaler to demonstrate proper use. Many students do not use them correctly and/or have different kinds and need to be reminded of which inhalers are for daily use and which are for emergency use.  If the healthcare provider has issued an ACTION PLAN, please make sure the school has a copy. If your child is using an inhaler, EpiPen or insulin, please ask the doctor for an Action Plan.   

    Each classroom is issued a Classroom Backpack to store students’ inhalers and EpiPens.  The Classroom Backpack travels with the class to all Specials Classes, field trips, and other outings.  All inhalers and EpiPens are to stay in the backpack. Oral medications and pills are to remain in the School Office closet.

  4. Accident/Injury Reports

    All student injuries are reported to the child’s parent.  In the case of minor injuries, school personnel will administer first aid.  A written report by the supervising adult will be submitted immediately after the incident and placed in the student’s file.  911 will be called for professional care in an emergency. If needed, the child and his/her medical emergency release form will be taken to the emergency room of the hospital accompanied by a school administrator or his/her designee.  The administrator or designee will remain with the child until a parent/guardian arrives.

    Head injuries: When a student sustains a blow to the head of any kind, play is to be suspended immediately.  The injured student (or athlete) is not permitted to continue playing or to return to play until a medical evaluation has occurred and a written clearance has been given by his or her doctor.

    Concussions: Concussions are both a medical and educational issue. After sustaining a concussion, and before the student returns to school, the school must receive a letter from the physician describing the student’s injury and necessary modifications to the student’s school day. Additional physician recommendation/documentation must be provided as the student recovers, to continue, make changes to, or discontinue the academic plans that have been put in place. The school will make every effort to follow the accommodations as directed by the physician to help the student to recover and gradually return to a full course load.  The school will make adjustments to the student’s attendance as suggested by the physician recommendations. Students must be cleared by the physician and written orders provided to the school before the student can return to gym, sports or activities.

    In an effort to avoid student and staff injuries, school grounds and buildings are regularly inspected.  All potentially hazardous material and equipment is properly stored. Teachers, staff, volunteers, and parents are asked to always be alert to situations that might endanger students or themselves and to report these concerns to a school administrator.

  5. Reporting Suspected Child Abuse

    In accordance with state law, school teachers, staff and administrators are obligated under penalty of fine and jail term to report the reasonable suspicion of child physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect.  In this very serious and legally narrow area, the school will not contact parents in advance of making a report to authorities. The clear intent of the law, based on the seriousness of the crimes listed above, is to mandate that a report of reasonable suspicion of abuse be made.  School staff will make such reports in the best interest of the affected child and do not, once reasonable suspicion is established, have any legal alternative except to make the report to the proper authorities for their investigation and review.

    Important Note: Any aggressive physical contact to a student made by a parent or faculty/staff member on school property will not be tolerated and will be reported to authorities.

  6. Self-Harm or Suicide Procedures

    When a student is identified by an administrator, teacher, staff person, or classmate as potentially suicidal, i.e. verbalizes about suicide, presents overt risk factors, an act of self-harm occurs, or a student self-refers, the student will be seen by the School Counselor, Principal, or an ELWYN mental health professional as soon as possible but within the same school day to assess risk and facilitate referral.

    For youth identified as being at risk, the following will occur:

    School personnel will continuously supervise the student to ensure his/her safety.

    The Principal will immediately be made aware of the situation.

    The Principal or School Counselor will contact the student’s parent or guardian and assist the family with referral.  This may include calling emergency services or bringing the student to the local Emergency room, but in most cases will involve helping the parent set up an outpatient mental health or primary care appointment and communicating the reason for referral to the healthcare provider.

    Staff will ask the student’s parent or guardian for written permission to discuss the student’s health with outside care, if appropriate.

    For in-school suicide attempts, the following will occur:

    First Aid will be administered until professional medical treatment and/or transportation arrives.

    The Principal and/or School Counselor will be notified immediately.

    School personnel will dismiss all other students out of the immediate area.

    The Principal, School Counselor, or other designee will contact the student’s parent or guardian as described in the Parental Notification and Involvement section below.

    The school will engage as necessary the Emergency Management Team to assess whether additional steps should be taken to ensure student safety and well-being.

    For out-of-school suicide attempts, the following will occur:

    If school personnel become aware of a suicide attempt by a student that is in progress in an out-of-school location, the police and/or emergency medical services (911) will be contacted.

    The Principal and/or School Counselor will be notified immediately.

    The student’s parent or guardian will be contacted by school personnel.

    If the student contacts school personnel and expresses suicidal ideation, the staff member should maintain contact with the student while at the same time enlist the assistance of another person to contact the police and/or emergency medical services (911).

    RE-ENTRY TO SCHOOL PROCEDURE

    Documentation from a licensed mental health care professional is required for re-entry to school by any student who has indicated suicidal thoughts, attempted suicide, or been hospitalized for psychiatric care. The Principal, School Counselor, or designee will meet with the student’s parent or guardian, and if appropriate, meet with the student to discuss re-entry and appropriate next steps to ensure the student’s readiness for return to school.

    The Principal, School Counselor, or other designee will be identified to coordinate with the student, their parent or guardian, and any outside mental health care providers.

    The parent or guardian will provide documentation from a mental health care provider that the student has undergone examination and that they are no longer a danger to themselves or others.

    The designated staff person will periodically check-in with the student to help him/her readjust to the school community and address any ongoing concerns.

    PARENTAL NOTIFICATION AND INVOLVEMENT

    In situations where a student is assessed at risk for suicide or has made a suicide attempt, the child’s parent or guardian will be informed by the Principal or School Counselor.  If the student has exhibited any kind of suicidal behavior, the parent or guardian will be counseled on “means restriction,” limiting the child’s access to mechanisms for carrying out a suicide attempt.  School personnel will seek parental permission to communicate with outside mental health care providers. Through discussion with the student, the Principal, School Counselor, or other designee will assess whether there is further risk of harm due to parent or guardian notification.  If school personnel believe that contacting the parent or guardian will endanger the health or well-being of the student, they are required as Mandated Reports to file an emergency report with CHILDLINE (1-800-932-0313).

  7. Emergency Management

    CCA has a detailed written Emergency Management Plan that covers four phases of emergency episodes:

    Mitigation/Prevention – creating a safe school environment
    Preparedness/Practice – identifying, planning and practicing emergency situations
    Response – taking appropriate steps during an emergency
    Recovery – appropriate actions following an emergency