School Nurse: Melissa Groffman
Phone: 973-509-6410
Email: [email protected]
At Mini-Mounties @ MELA, the health, safety, and well-being of our children and staff are our highest priorities. We are committed to providing a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment where every child can learn, grow, and thrive. Through our partnership with families, we support healthy habits, meet children's individual health needs, and maintain a healthy school community. As health guidance and district procedures evolve, families will be notified of any updates.
Current immunization records, health information, and emergency contact information are maintained for every child. In the event of an emergency, the school will immediately contact a parent or caregiver using the information on file. If a parent or caregiver cannot be reached, the school nurse or an administrator will remain with the child until an authorized emergency contact arrives.
To help us respond quickly when needed, families are responsible for keeping all contact and emergency information current, including home and work phone numbers, addresses, and emergency contacts.
To help ensure the health and safety of all children, every student must have a completed physical examination and all required health forms on file before beginning school and updated annually thereafter. Families are responsible for submitting updated health information each school year and notifying the school nurse of any changes to their child's health history, medical conditions, medications, or emergency contact information throughout the school year.
The school nurse provides a variety of health services to support children's health, safety, and readiness to learn. These services include vision, hearing, dental, height, and weight screenings, first aid, emergency care, health monitoring, and collaboration with families to support students' individual health needs while they are at school. Any parent/legal guardian wishing to exempt their child from screening must notify the school nurse in writing.
If your child has a chronic health condition, allergy, or other medical need, please work closely with the school nurse to ensure that appropriate health information, medical documentation, and care plans are in place. Ongoing communication between families, healthcare providers, and school staff helps us provide a safe, healthy, and supportive learning environment for every child.
Immunization Requirements
In accordance with New Jersey law and Montclair Public Schools Board Policy 5320, all students must meet the required immunization requirements before entering school. Families are responsible for providing current immunization records and ensuring that all required immunizations remain up to date throughout their child's enrollment.
Children enrolled in preschool are also required to receive an annual influenza vaccine by December 31 in accordance with New Jersey Department of Health regulations.
Students who do not meet the required immunization requirements or the annual influenza vaccination requirement, and who do not have an approved exemption permitted under New Jersey law, will not be permitted to attend school until the required documentation and/or immunizations have been received.
Please contact the school nurse if you have any questions regarding immunization requirements.
Illness and Health Procedures
The health and well-being of our students and school community is a priority at Mini-Mounties @ MELA. The following procedures help support a safe, healthy learning environment while providing families with clear guidelines for illness, health concerns, and medical needs.
We expect and encourage you to send your child to school on a daily basis. However, please remember that it is very important for children who are ill to stay home. This helps them regain their health and keeps other children and staff from becoming sick. The Mini-Mounties @ MELA follows the regulations in the State Manual of the Standards for licensed childcare centers.
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they have symptoms of a possible communicable disease (e.g. redness of the eyes, cough, sore throat, headache, abdominal pains or diarrhea, rash, vomiting, etc.)
Children must be totally symptom-free for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medication, before returning to school. If your child becomes ill while at school, a parent or caregiver will be contacted and asked to pick up their child within one hour. If you are unable to do so, please ensure that an authorized emergency contact is available to pick up your child promptly on your behalf.
A medical note is required if a student is going to be absent for 3 or more days. All notes must be handed in upon reentry to school. Should you have any questions or pertinent information regarding the health of your child please contact the school nurse.
To help protect the health and well-being of all children and staff, Mini-Mounties @ MELA follows guidelines for when children should remain home and when they may safely return to school after an illness or communicable disease. Please review the guidelines below and consult with the School Nurse or Program Administrator if you have questions about your child’s return to school.
Medications may only be administered at school with a signed parent/legal guardian authorization form and written instructions from the child’s physician. Children with Asthma, Diabetes, Life Threatening Food Allergies or Seizure Disorders must have a health action plan completed and signed by the child’s doctor. The action plan forms can be obtained from the Mini-Mounties school nurse or downloaded from the Pediatric Asthma Coalition of New Jersey (https://www.asthmacommunitynetwork.org/) or the Food Allergy Network (www.foodallergy.org.) Please be sure to speak with the nurse (973-509-4208) as soon as possible if your child requires medication for asthma (inhalers, nebulizer medications), diabetes, food allergies (Benadryl, epi-pen) or seizure disorders. No medication will be given without the required authorization from a physician. If a parent/legal guardian has any concerns or questions about medication, these should be discussed with the school nurse before school begins.
All prescription medication must be in the original container with the child’s name and printed dosages, the date prescribed and directions for administration. Medication can be administered only with written approval from the child's parent/legal guardian and doctor. The school limits the dispensing of non-prescription over-the-counter medication. It is dispensed in accordance with the recommended dosage, age and or weight of the child as indicated on the label:
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Topical ointment i.e. calamine lotion, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone cream, sunscreen (with completed sunscreen form)
Medication may only be dispensed by an RN. No homeopathic or natural herb medication will be given by the Mini-Mounties @ MELA unless FDA approved. All medications will be kept locked in a cabinet. Unused medication and health care equipment will be returned to the parents when no longer being used. Long-term medication and “as needed” medication will be left in the nurse's office. Short-term medication will be returned to parents at the end of each day. All medication to be dispensed must be supplied by the parent and accompanied by a Permission Form signed by both the doctor and parents. Vitamins are not medication and are not dispensed by the nurse at any time.
Medication, prescription or over-the-counter should never be placed in a child’s backpack, lunch box, or clothing pockets.
To help protect children from harmful sun exposure during outdoor activities, families are encouraged to apply sunscreen to their child before arriving at school each morning. Families are also encouraged to send their child to school wearing sun-protective clothing, such as a hat and lightweight clothing that provides additional protection from the sun.
Families who wish for sunscreen to be available during the school day may send one container of sunscreen to school. Sunscreen must be in its original container, clearly labeled with the child's first and last name. To help ensure the health and safety of all children, aerosol or spray sunscreens are not permitted, as they may pose concerns for children with asthma or other respiratory conditions. Sunscreen will not be shared between children; each child must have their own labeled container.
Because outdoor play after 1:00 p.m. occurs infrequently, families are encouraged to apply sunscreen before their child arrives at school each morning. If children participate in outdoor activities after 1:00 p.m., designated school personnel may make reasonable efforts to assist with sunscreen reapplication using sunscreen provided by the family. Reapplication may not be possible in all circumstances and will depend on factors such as student supervision needs, staffing, scheduling, and other school priorities. Sunscreen designated for staff reapplication will be stored in the classroom or another designated location.
In accordance with the New Jersey Sun Protection for Students Act (P.L. 2025, c.37; N.J.S.A. 18A:40-12.39), school personnel are not required to apply sunscreen. Families who choose to send sunscreen to school must complete the district's Sunscreen Authorization Form. Sunscreen will not be reapplied by school personnel for students who do not have a completed authorization form on file.
Supporting Children’s Independence and Well Being
Toileting Support and Potty Training
Students in our classrooms are not required to be potty trained in order to attend. We recommend that families attempt to potty train children at home prior to the start of school if the child has shown signs that they are ready. Teachers, teacher assistants, and support staff will assist children with toileting and reinforce the potty training method being used at home. Teachers are not responsible for initiating potty training or selecting the method of potty training as different methods work for each child and unique family situation.
We ask that caregivers communicate with our staff via email about the status of a child’s potty training, toileting needs, successful methods and progress at home. It is essential that our staff know exactly how to best support children with toileting during the school day in a way that is consistent with what is working at home.
Families are responsible for providing pull ups/diapers if needed and several extra sets of undergarments and clothing. Children must wear undergarments to school every day.
Outdoor experiences are an important part of your child's daily routine and overall wellness at Mini-Mounties @ MELA. Time outdoors supports children's physical health, emotional well-being, movement, exploration, and opportunities to connect with their environment. Classes participate in outdoor learning and play each day, weather permitting, as part of our commitment to providing a healthy, engaging learning environment. In general, children will go outside whenever the "feels like" temperature is 32°F or above and there is no active precipitation.
Families are encouraged to dress children appropriately for the weather each day, including coats, hats, mittens, gloves, boots, and other seasonal clothing during colder months. Children should wear sneakers or other well-fitting, rubber-soled shoes that provide adequate support and allow for safe participation in indoor and outdoor activities. Please avoid footwear that does not provide appropriate support or stability, such as flip-flops, Crocs®, or shoes with slippery or uneven soles.
Children will have opportunities to participate in a variety of outdoor experiences throughout the school day, including active play, exploration of designated outdoor learning areas, nature investigations, and neighborhood walks when appropriate. Our teachers view the outdoors as an extension of the classroom, creating meaningful opportunities for children to observe, discover, explore, and engage in hands-on learning through play and inquiry.