Health Centre
The College has a purpose-built Health Centre on the campus which is run by Registered Nurses. If a student is required to take regular on-going, long term or emergency medication their parents are required to provide the College with written documentation in the form of an action plan, outlining the medication, dosage and contact numbers. This can be drawn up in collaboration with the Health Centre Nurse Manager on 9383 6818. This information will be held in the Health Centre and all medicine will be administered there. Medication must be supplied in the original container accompanied by written permission from a parent. Any medication that your son may require will only be administered by Health Centre staff. Please keep your son at home if he is unwell. This prevents the spread of germs to others and is in the best interest of your son’s wellbeing. If your son should become sick during the day, you will be contacted as soon as possible to collect him. Please notify the teacher immediately should your son contract German measles (Rubella), as pregnant mothers will need to take proper precautions. The teachers also need to be notified if chicken pox, mumps, hand, foot and mouth disease, head lice, impetigo (school sores), ringworm or conjunctivitis are contracted. Please call the Health Centre on 9383 6818 for health concerns.
Dental Care
If you have, or are entitled to, a Medicare card, boys from Pre-Primary may be registered to receive free dental treatment at the Swanbourne Dental Therapy Centre for the duration of their time enrolled at the College. If you wish to take advantage of this service, please complete a form, available from the Junior School Administration and return it directly to the Swanbourne Dental Therapy Centre. You will be notified by the Centre when your child is to attend for an appointment.
Mouthguards
During the Summer Term, Years 4 and 5 parents are given the opportunity to order a custom mouthguard for their son’s use during Physical Education classes and Inter-School Sport (training and competition). Sports and activities that require a mouthguard can only be participated in if your son has his mouthguard. Failure to bring or have a mouthguard will result in your son sitting out of the activity. Strictly no mouthguard, no play. This statement applies to Years 4 and 5.
Allergy Aware
Scotch College operates as an Allergy Aware School. If your son suffers from food, insect or other allergies that may require urgent medical attention or monitoring, please contact the Scotch College Health Centre on 9383 6818 to discuss your son’s ongoing allergy management plans. Nut allergies have been identified as prevalent within the Junior School. The following guidelines have been put in place to manage the risk posed by nuts to boys within our care.
Nut Guidelines
Throughout the course of each school year the College reviews confidential medical information pertaining to each child within our care. As a result of this process, we have students with severe, life threatening allergies to peanuts and/or nuts. The allergies we have been made aware of are so severe that anaphylactic shock may be induced simply by eating or touching these foods.
As the responsible authorised carers during school hours, it is our duty to have a policy that protects all students within our care from possible, foreseeable harm. An allergy is an adverse reaction to something (usually a protein) which is either ingested, inhaled, injected or comes into contact with the skin. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may be localised or generalised. Food, medications and insect venom are the most common triggers of severe allergic reactions. Anaphylaxis is a sudden and severe allergic reaction that is potentially life threatening and always requires an emergency response. Fortunately, it is uncommon and usually preventable. Scotch College has adopted a series of guidelines to reduce the risk of anaphylaxis and the provision of appropriate action should anaphylaxis occur in an endeavour to protect all boys within our care from possible, foreseeable harm. As a consequence of this situation, parents of boys are asked to refrain from sending food products containing nuts or peanuts (e.g. peanut butter, Nutella or muesli bars containing nuts) to school.
We recognise that it is impossible to enforce this request to the full degree as all parents are entitled to make democratic decisions, however, in the interests of community spirit and safety, parents are asked to respect this request. Additionally, the Junior School will use the following guidelines to ensure that these children are cared for in our school environment while enabling other children to become aware of others’ allergies and assist in caring for them.
- All children will be educated on the need to wash their hands before and after eating food.
- Hand washing will be carried out before and after eating or cooking under staff supervision.
- Children will be encouraged not to share food. It is of upmost importance that parents notify the College of any severe allergies their son(s) may have and provide an Anaphylaxis Action Plan and any relevant medication i.e. Epipen/oral anti-histamine. It is also a parental responsibility to ensure that all medications supplied are ‘in date’ and have not expired. Parents whose child has been prescribed an Epipen or Epipen Jnr are urged to register with the Reminder Club at epiclub.com.au. This free service ensures a reminder is sent when the Epipen is due to expire so that it can be replaced. Other valuable information, including a video demonstrating how to use the Epipen, can also be found on the website. Please direct any further queries regarding this to the College Health Centre on 9383 6818.
Sun Smart Guidelines
These guidelines have been adopted to ensure that all staff and students attending the Junior School are protected from skin damage caused by exposure to the sun. They apply throughout the year and while on camps, excursions, carnivals and co-curricular activities.
- Students are required to wear a wide-brimmed College hat whenever they are outdoors. (The cap is only permitted for JPSSA sport for Year 5 boys.) A no-hat, play in the shade statement is widely articulated and enforced.
- Staff are required to wear hats while outdoors, on camps, excursions and on duty.
- Students without hats must obtain a uniform note from the Junior School Administration which is placed in their Student Diary. Students without hats are directed to a designated shaded area. Visitors and guests are encouraged to wear hats when attending outdoor events.
- Students are educated about wearing sunscreen cream/lotion prior to arriving at school and to reapply 20 minutes prior to recess and lunchtime.
- Students are encouraged to take responsibility for applying their own sunscreen.
- Sunscreen is provided in large tubs in the classroom and during carnivals and other outdoor events. Regular reminders are issued by teachers.
- Students are encouraged to wear sun protective clothing such as rash shirts, shirts with collars and broad brimmed hats.
Curriculum
- Sun protection is promoted throughout the year in the weekly notices and diaries.
- Teacher reference materials and resources are provided to support sun protection strategies.
Environment
The College ensures and maintains adequate provision of shade (natural and man-made).
- Wherever possible, indoor areas are used for daily physical education lessons which may occur during inclement weather or where sporting events are being conducted on the playing fields by the other campuses, such as the Inter-School sports programme.
- Shade is provided at all outdoor carnivals.