Student Health & Safety

Student Health

A Public Health Nurse is assigned to our school and is available to us upon request. The Public Health Nurse is our liaison with the Public Health Department and provides us with information concerning available services and teaching resources for immunization, health, nutrition, and dental care.

The Public Health Department is legislated under the Immunization of School Pupils Act R.S.O., 1990 to collect and maintain immunization records for all students (up to 18 years of age). All children in Ontario are required to be immunized against serious childhood diseases in order to attend school. If your child has not received all of his/her immunizations, you will get a warning letter from Public Health; your child will not be permitted to attend school if you do not comply.

At John McGivney School Authority, we make every attempt to keep the school, students, and staff healthy. Throughout the year many cases of sickness arise at school or home.  Children require a day or so to regain proper health. Please do not hesitate to keep your child home so that infections do not pass on to anyone else. Many of our students have fragile health concerns and are susceptible to illness. Your support is essential to minimize the spread of contagious illnesses in school.  

You have a role in ensuring your child’s safety while at school. Please keep the team informed about any concerns that you may have about your child’s health and safety. This may include such things as changes in medications, behaviour, family situations, and equipment malfunctions and repairs.
Throughout the year many cases of sickness arise at school or home. Children require time, especially after a fever, to regain proper health. Please keep your child home so that infections due to cold, flu, or COVID-19 do not pass on to anyone else. It is the School Authority’s request that children with any of these symptoms in the last 48 hours stay home:

• Fever or chills
• New-onset cough
• Sever unexplained fatigue or pains
• Excessive nasal discharge
• Diarrhea (2 episodes of very loose bowels)
• Vomiting/nausea (if not typical to the child)
• Open skin wounds or new rash
• Other symptoms of infectious illness that could be passed to others while they are at school

Should your child display any of these symptoms, the school will contact you to pick up your child. As always, we greatly appreciate your assistance and support to create a healthy environment for all our students.

If your child is ill or has an appointment, please contact the school at 519-977-2200 and leave a message on the answering machine. The answering machine is on 24 hours a day for your convenience. Parents must also contact the bus company. Use the BusKids.ca link to the right to access contact information for the bus company.