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Health Services

Health Services 

School Nurses Within Tolland Public Schools


Welcome to the health services page, where you may gain a better understanding about what your school nurse is doing for your student to ensure they have a healthy and successful school career. 


Each of our schools in Tolland has an RN School Nurse based within the school, and a support staff LPN to meet all the health needs your student may have while attending school. The primary goal of a school nurse is to have healthy, engaged students in the classroom each day. 


Our school nurses check every school year to make sure all students are vaccine compliant to meet the state requirements, as well as meeting all required physical and dental health assessments. A complete physical and dental health assessment is required for each new student transferring into the district, then again entering middle school, and a final required physical by the beginning of high school (BOE Administrative Regulation 5170) . Additionally, any student-athlete has to have a complete physical each year. It is the responsibility of the school nurse to ensure year-round all of our athletes have been deemed healthy enough to play sports, any previous injuries have been fully recovered, and any known risks are monitored. 


The health and safety of students who have a restrictive injury like a fracture, or concussion is also monitored by the school nurse even if they do not participate in sports programs. Your student may need to be excused from gym, and sports participation, or may even require academic accommodation due to medical issues.  It is the school nurse who will guide you, and your student, through the process, making sure your student’s needs are met while at school. Please make sure to report any injury to the school nurse as soon as it is diagnosed.  Students may not be in school with equipment like a cast,  or crutches, without the school nurse having been notified and medical orders provided. 


School nurses also provide required screening services for vision, hearing and scoliosis as required by CT General Statute . This enables early detection of potential problems,  and referral for further assessment. Catching issues early on will help your student have a successful academic career. If your student is followed by a specialist for any medical concerns, please speak with the school nurse. Nurses also help families find resources for medical, dental, vision, and hearing referrals. 


The RN in each school is part of the 504/PPT team, and is the only professional who is able to create an individualized healthcare plan to help accommodate student education needs as they relate to their medical or mental health diagnosis. If your student has a medical or mental health issue, please speak with the school nurse. Their health record should be kept up to date to meet the most current needs of the student. 


The school nurse manages all medications for emergency medications which students may need while at school, like epinephrine for an allergic reaction, or an inhaler for an asthma attack. If your student has a new diagnosis at any time in the year, please reach out to the school nurse. The nurse makes sure students who independently carry emergency medications are well-equipped to handle them and also conducts training with appropriate staff who will be interacting with the student who has specific medical concerns. 


Even if your student does not take medication from the nurse during school hours, it is still important  to update the school nurse on any medication your student takes at home. Yearly you can provide this information through Powerschool and any changes can be called into the nurse.  


The school nurse manages the attendance line when your student is out ill. Please make sure to call each day and provide specific details as to the nature of the absence for the day. The school nurse works closely to provide accurate information in relation to attendance records, ensuring students who must miss school for verifiable medical reasons do not need to be referred for truancy concerns. 


Each day your student arrives at school, there is a school nurse present and prepared for any medical emergency which may occur. This brief summary gives you an understanding of when  you should be in contact with your student’s school nurse: to report any illnesses, to report any injuries, to update with medication changes from what was reported in Powerschool, to update with any vision or hearing changes, to provide updated medical information and to discuss any accommodations your student may need to be more successful in school. The school nurses are here to provide support to your student. 

Birch Grove Primary
Olivia Fischer, RN
[email protected] (860) 870-6750 x30910 Fax: (860) 370-2603 
Karen Lewis LPN  [email protected]  (860) 870-6750 x30912  Fax: (860) 370-2603
Shelly Peterson, LPN [email protected] (860) 870-6750 x30912 Fax: (860) 370-2603
Tolland Intermediate School
Paula Feyerharm, MA, RN
Nurse Coordinator
[email protected] (860) 870-6885 x40909 Fax: (860) 370-2602
Shawntel Johnson, LPN  [email protected]  (860) 870-6885 x40910 Fax: (860) 370-2602
Tolland Middle School
Laura Dolcelli, RN, BSN [email protected]
(860) 870-6868 x20905 Fax: (860) 374-2428
Jaria Wahed, LPN  [email protected]  (860) 870-6868 x20906  Fax: (860) 374-2428 
Tolland High School
Cindy Davidson, BSN, RN [email protected]
(860) 870-6818 x10924 Fax: (860) 870-6839



Absence-Illness-Injury
In the interest of your child's health and the health of other children, please observe the following:
If your child has a fever of 100º F or above, please keep him/her home for 24 hours after the fever has subsided without medication, with the exception of antibiotics.
Please keep your child home with any contagious symptoms for 24 hours after symptoms have subsided (ie: vomiting, diarrhea, fever).
In the case of an absence, parents should contact the nurse's voicemail before 9:00 A.M. Please provide your child’s name, teacher, and why they are absent in your message.   The parent is requested to send a written excuse to the school on the date of the student’s return.  The student should submit the excuse to his/her teacher who will send it to the main office.
If your child has a contagious disease or is likely to be absent for three or more days, please notify the school nurse.
A student absent five consecutive days or more may be requested to see the school nurse upon returning to school.  
A written excuse should be sent to school for any absence.  A note from your physician is required for prolonged or frequent absences.
It is felt that any child well enough to come to school is well enough to participate in all activities, including recess and physical education.  A note signed by a physician must accompany any exceptions from this rule.  A parent may send a note to extend the excuse up to two days after the doctor's excuse ends.
Flu season: We will be following the CDC guidelines during the flu season.
Please dress your child warmly with boots, hats, coats, gloves, and sweaters on chilly days. There will be outdoor recess when the temperature and wind chill are 20 degrees and above.

Illness and/or Injury:
 When a child becomes ill, you will be asked to bring him/her home.  In case of injuries, we may need to contact you.  It is necessary that the school always have a phone number – yours and two emergency numbers – that may be reached at all times.  Parents or designee must provide transportation. Please update Powerschool with current emergency contacts and medication approvals each year.

Powerschool Update
How do I get started? 

Visit https://tollandschools.powerschool.com and log in to your PowerSchool account. From the Dashboard: 

1.Select the student you wish to update along the top of the page
2. 
Select the Returning Student Update
3. 
Agree to the terms and conditions (if needed)
4. 
Click Begin Forms 

Frequently asked questions: 

I can’t remember my login credentials for PowerSchool? 

Your PowerSchool ID is now your email address that you used to set up your account.

If you forgot your password, you can reset it by clicking on the "forgot password" option.  Please be sure to leave both fields blank before selecting the "forgot password" option.  The next window that opens will ask you for your "Parent Username" and "Parent Email Address", please enter your email in both fields and submit.  You will then receive an email to reset your password.  

Do I have to answer all the questions?

Questions marked with a red asterisk (*) are required.  

I’ve completed the form, now what?

Once you have finished entering your information click “Submit.” This will send all of the information you’ve entered to the school. If you cannot click on this button you will need to make sure that you have answered all required questions. 

What if I have more than one student in the district? Do I need to do this for each child?

Yes, you will need to provide information that is specific to each child.  We recommend that you complete and submit one form and then start another. This will allow you to “snap” (or share) selected family information, which saves you time. 

Need further assistance? 

You may contact Candace de Loureiro (860) 870-6818, extension 10804, or email at [email protected].us for assistance..