Hearing and Vision Screenings | Posted 9/10/25
Newark Community High School is performing Hearing and Vision Screenings the week of September 15, 2025. Please see the attached letter regarding Hearing and Vision Screenings.
NCHS Medication Policy | Updated 5/19/25
Taking medications during school hours is discouraged. When a student’s licensed health care provider and parent/guardian believe that it is necessary for the student to take a medication during school hours, the parent/guardian must request that the school dispense the medication to the child by completing the *Authorization and Permission for Administration of Medication Form and providing the permitted medication. The information on the form must be the same as that on the medication container label. NCHS will not accept medication sent to the school in any container other than the container provided by the pharmacy. This policy applies to prescription and over-the-counter medication, including cough drops.
No school or district employee is allowed to administer to any student, or supervise a student’s self-administration of, any prescription or non-prescription medication until a completed and signed Authorization and Permission for Administration of Medication Form is submitted by the student’s parent/guardian. No student is allowed to possess or consume any prescription or non- prescription medication, including medical marijuana, on school grounds or at a school-related function other than as provided for in this procedure. Students who retain controlled substances on their person on school grounds are subject to the disciplinary policies of Newark Community High School. If a change in type of drug or dosage is warranted, a new form is to be completed by the parent/guardian and presented to the high school office.
Students with asthma who need an inhaler at school must have an Asthma Action Plan and a *Physician Request for Self-Administration of Medication form. A student may possess and self- administer inhalers prescribed for him/her by their licensed health care provider if these forms have been signed by their health care provider. All other inhalers will be kept in the Health Office.
Please be sure to notify the school nurse if your student needs an epinephrine auto-injector (such as EpiPen or Auvi-Q) at school. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan must be completed and turned in to the school along with your student’s epinephrine auto-injector. A student may possess and self-administer epinephrine from an auto injector if a Physician Request for Self-Administration of Medication Form has been completed. If Benadryl is needed for allergies, parents must provide it according to the NCHS medication guidelines as outlined above.
Students with diabetes who need insulin injection at school or who have an insulin pump must have a Diabetes Medical Management Plan completed and turned in to the school along with a Physician Request for Self-Administration of Medication form.
All of the above forms, indicated by underline, are available on the Newark Community High School website under the Student Resources tab. Follow this link and click on School Nurse. Downloadable forms are on the right of this page.
*Authorization and Permission for Administration of Medication and *Physician Request for Self-Administration of Medication are now on the same form. Only one signature is required for the physician.
Medications | Posted 9/6/24
ATTENTION Students, if you need to take any medications during the school day, prescription or non-prescription, you must see the school nurse. You may not carry any medications in your backpack without approval from the school nurse.
Vision and Hearing Screenings | Posted 8/30/24
Newark Community High School is performing Vision and Hearing Screenings the week of September 16, 2024. Not all students will be screened, unless a parent requests an exam. If you would like your child to be examined, please contact NCHS Certified School Nurse, Amanda Yunker.
Below is informational code from the Illinois Department of Public Health:
Hearing and Vision School Screening
School health personnel perform vision and hearing screening of students. The parents of a student may request a screening at any time. Vision and hearing screening will begin as mandated the week of September 16th, 2024. Illinois mandates hearing and vision screening for all students receiving special education accommodations; for teacher or parent referrals; and for all students new to the district.
Screenings & Required Exams
Vision and hearing screenings are not substitutes for a complete eye and ear examination by an appropriate doctor. Your child will not be required to undergo this vision screening if an optometrist or ophthalmologist has completed and signed a report form indicating that an examination has been administered within the previous 12 months and that evaluation is on file at the school.
Your child will not be required to undergo this hearing screening if an audiologist has completed and signed a report form indicating that an examination has been administered within the previous 12 months and that evaluation is on file at the school. This notice is not a permission to test.
Vision and hearing screening is not optional. If a vision or hearing examination report is not on file at the school for your child, your child in the mandated age, grade, or group will be screened.
If you have any questions, please contact NCHS Certified School Nurse.
Amanda Yunker, RN, PEL-CSN
Vision and Hearing Technician
ayunker@nchs18.org
815-695-5164
Covid-19 Guidelines | Posted 8/30/24
Newark Community High School has fully adopted the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Updated Covid-19 Guidelines.
• We will no longer be requiring 5 days of quarantine
• Please return to school when symptoms are improving overall and fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications.
• If the student is out of school for more than 3 days, a doctor's note is required to excuse these days absent.
If you have any questions please contact NCHS School Nurse.
Amanda Yunker RN, PEL-CSN
ayunker@nchs18.org
815-695-5164
CDC updates and simplifies respiratory virus recommendations:
When people get sick with a respiratory virus, the updated guidance recommends that they stay home and away from others. The recommendations suggest returning to normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, symptoms are improving overall, and if a fever was present, it has been gone without use of a fever-reducing medication.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/p0301-respiratory-virus.html
New Certificate of Child Health Examination | Posted 3/6/24
Beginning 2024-2025 school year, a new version of the Certificate of Child Health Examination may be utilized. Any child health exam that occurs after January 1, 2025, for the school year of 2025-2026, must utilize the updated child health exam form.
NCHS District 18 Illness Protocol: Should Your Student Stay Home? | Posted 8/18/23
Here are a few guidelines to help you determine whether your student is too ill to go to school.
Fever
- The student should stay home if they have a temperature at or above 100.4 degrees F. They may return to school when they are fever-free without use of fever-reducing medications for 24 hours.
Communicable Disease (contagious illness)
- The student should stay home from school if they have a contagious disease. A contagious disease is one that is spread by close contact with an infected person or object. This includes: chicken pox, influenza, vomiting, diarrhea, strep throat, “pink eye” with yellow or green drainage. Some illnesses may be contagious before symptoms appear. It is difficult to prevent the spread of germs in the community setting. Frequent hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of disease.
- If the student has chicken pox or strep throat, ask your doctor when the student may return to school. Generally, a person with active chicken pox infection should not return to school until all the lesions are dried and crusted. A person with strep throat should be on antibiotics for 24 hours and be fever free before returning to school.
Your Student is TOO ILL to go to school if any of these signs/symptoms are present:
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea, unless these are determined to be due to a non-communicable condition and the student is not in danger of dehydration and feels well enough to participate in school. Please keep your student home for 24 hours from last episode of vomiting.
- Wheezing or consistently short of breath.
- Cough that disrupts sleep and/or normal activity.
- Copious amount of Eye Drainage that is yellow or green. If the doctor has given antibiotics, the child may return to school after 24 hours of treatment or according to the doctor’s note.
- Rash that is rapidly spreading or accompanied by fever or has open, weeping lesions. Rash without fever with no other symptoms usually does not require the student to stay home.
Your Student MAY ATTEND school even if these signs/symptoms are present:
- Mild stuffy nose, sneezing, or a mild cough without fever. Reinforce the importance of frequent hand washing and covering your sneeze/cough.
- 1 or 2 episodes of diarrhea without vomiting, abdominal pain or fever.
Concussion Information for Parents | Updated 12/17/19
Health Office Procedures
School nurses supervise the administration of medications, maintain school health records, and administer emergency first aid when appropriate. When students become ill or injured during the day, they should report it immediately to the teacher and request a pass to the health office. The nurse will contact parents as situations require. Please be sure to keep the school office updated on current phone numbers.
Physicals and Immunizations
Physical Exams are required for all incoming 9th grade students and all students entering school in Illinois for the first time. Physicals must be dated within one year from the first day of school and must be completed on the State of Illinois Certificate of Child Health Exam, not IHSA Sports Physical form. This is due on or before the first day of school. Students without a physical exam will be excluded from school attendance.
Meningococcal Vaccines:
Illinois State Law requires all 12th grade students to provide proof of having received two meningococcal vaccines prior to entry into school. If the first meningococcal vaccine was received after 16 years of age, only one vaccination is needed. Please contact your student’s health care provider if you are unsure of the status of your child’s immunizations.
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