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Kaitie McManus, RN, BSN

School Nurse, K-12

To call: School Nurse office line 201-963-0222 ext 223

To text: School Nurse mobile phone 551-337-5423

Email: kmcmanus@hobokencs.net

Student Health Information & Medical Requirements

As the school nurse at Hoboken Charter School, I am committed to keeping our students safe, well, and happy!  The children come to my office for wellness screenings, illness evaluations and first aid. Please feel free to contact me Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m to 3:30 p.m with any concerns or questions you may have.

The school health office works to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all students. Please review the information below regarding illness guidelines, required medical forms, and state health requirements for school attendance.

Illness & When to Keep Your Child Home

If your child will be staying home due to illness, parents/guardians must email the school nurse and attendance office and briefly state the reason for the absence and the student’s symptoms.

This helps us monitor/report illness trends within the school and ensure students return safely.

Students should remain home from school if they have any of the following symptoms or conditions:

Fever

• Students must stay home if they have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.

• Students may return to school only after they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Motrin/Advil (ibuprofen).

Vomiting and Diarrhea

Students should not attend school if they are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea.

According to the New Jersey Department of Health School Exclusion Guidelines, students should remain home if they have:

• Vomited two or more times within a 24-hour period, or

• Two or more episodes of diarrhea (loose or watery stools) within a 24-hour period, unless the symptoms are known to be related to a non-contagious condition.

Students may return to school when:

• They have been free of vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours, and

• They are able to tolerate normal food and fluids, and

• They are well enough to participate in normal school activities.

Students who are sent home from school due to vomiting or diarrhea should remain home the following day to ensure they meet the 24-hour symptom-free requirement.

If vomiting or diarrhea continues for more than 24–48 hours, parents should consider contacting their child’s healthcare provider for further evaluation.

These guidelines help prevent the spread of viral gastrointestinal illnesses, which can spread very easily in school settings.

Other Symptoms That Require Staying Home

Please keep your child home if they have:

• Persistent cough that interferes with normal activity

• Severe sore throat with fever

• Unexplained rash

• Eye redness with discharge (possible conjunctivitis)

• Severe headache accompanied by fever

• Significant fatigue or body aches

• Any illness that prevents your child from participating in normal school activities

Contagious Illnesses

Students diagnosed with contagious conditions such as strep throat, influenza, COVID-19, pertussis, pink eye, lice, or other communicable diseases should remain home until they meet return-to-school guidelines.

In many cases, students may return after appropriate treatment has started and symptoms have improved.

The school follows the New Jersey Department of Health School Exclusion Guidelines for determining when students should remain home or return to school.

A full list of exclusion guidelines can be found here:
(NJ DOH exclusion list hyperlink)

If Your Child Becomes Ill at School

If a student develops a fever, vomiting, or other concerning symptoms during the school day, the school nurse may contact parents/guardians to arrange for early dismissal.

Students sent home with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea must follow the 24-hour symptom-free rule before returning to school. This absence will be considered excused and will not count toward attendance limits.

Medical Form(s) Requirements/Submission 

NEW PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING FORMS!! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

Medical Form Submission

All medical forms must be submitted electronically in one of the following ways:

• During the school year 👉 Email all forms directly to the school nurse: kmcmanus@hobokencs.net

• During summer vacation 👉 Upload all forms to the appropriate Google Forms link for your child’s grade (see below).

Please do not email any medical forms to other staff members or send paper copies. Paper forms are easily misplaced and can compromise confidentiality.

All signed medical forms are more than likely available and accessible through your medical provider's patient portal; in some cases your medical provider may be able to email the completed forms to you directly. Once you download the forms, you can either email them to me or upload them through the Google Form link.

➡️ Students will not be considered compliant until forms are submitted directly through one of these approved methods.

GOOGLE FORMS LINKS GRADES K-12

Kindergarten 25-26

1st Grade '25-'26

2nd Grade '25-'26

3rd Grade '25-'26

4th Grade '25-'26

5th Grade '25-'26

6th Grade '25-'26

7th Grade '25-'26

8th Grade '25-'26

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 9th Grade '25 - '26

10th Grade '25 - '26

11th Grade '25 - '26

12th Grade '25 - '26

HCS PHYSICAL EXAM FORMS AND IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS:

Immunization Requirements

New Jersey state law (N.J.A.C. 8:57-4) requires all students to have up-to-date immunization records and a current physical exam on file in order to attend school. Students may not attend or  remain in school without proof of immunization, a valid medical or religious exemption, or documentation that they are in the process of receiving required vaccines. (Please see below for info on religious exemptions.)

Important Vaccine Requirements for Incoming 6th Grade Students:

Students entering 6th grade who are 11 years of age or older are required (unless medically or religiously exempt) to receive the following vaccinations before the first day of school (September 2, 2026):

• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis)

• Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine

If your child is already 11 years old and has not yet received these vaccines, please contact your pediatrician as soon as possible to schedule a vaccination appointment.

Once received, please submit the updated immunization record to the school nurse.

If you are unsure whether your child has already received these vaccines, please check with your pediatrician.

Students without proper documentation or exemption paperwork will not be permitted to attend school, as required by New Jersey law.

If your child still needs these vaccines or your appointment is scheduled after September 2, 2026, please contact the school nurse.

Religious Exemptions

New Jersey allows religious exemptions from immunization requirements.

Parents requesting a religious exemption must submit a written and signed letter stating that immunizations conflict with their sincerely held religious beliefs.

The letter must:

• Be written and signed by the parent or guardian

• State that immunization conflicts with religious beliefs

• Be submitted to the school nurse

A template for religious exemption letters is available here: (Religious Exemption Letter Template)

Please note that philosophical or personal objections are not accepted under New Jersey law. Students with exemptions may still be excluded from school during outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases as directed by public health authorities.

Physical Exam Form Requirements

Hoboken Charter School requires that health physicals be submitted yearly for students prior to the beginning of the school year.  

FOR NEW STUDENTS must have an up-to-date physical examination form, complete with the provider's signature and office stamp, to attend HCS and any public charter school in New Jersey.

FOR RETURNING STUDENTS: It is highly recommended that children receive an annual physical. If your child has had a recent physical (within the past year), please upload the updated form to the google forms submission link. 

• The physical exam must be within one year of the school's start date. So PE forms dated earlier than September of the previous year will NOT be accepted.

• If the date of examination is not within the year, please contact your child's pediatrician to either schedule an annual physical exam and/or request an updated PE form. (If your child's PE form is out of date, but their annual physical exam is scheduled for sometime in the near future, please let me know!)

Click to access the HCS PE form (2025-2026): 👉 Physical exam (PE) form 

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SPORTS CLEARANCE FORMS (please read directions carefully below):

Any student participating in organized sports, outside of physical education classes are required to have a New Jersey State Athletic Physical form on file.

FOR GRADES 6-8 ONLY

If your child plans to participate in after-school sports, you must submit the required sports clearance forms. Please note that only the documents linked here are to be signed and submitted for sports clearance. 

• For clarification and to make everyone's life a little easier: pages 2 and 3 require a provider's signature/stamp; the other pages (1, 4-6) require parent/guardian signatures.

• The forms linked above are specific sports physical examination forms that must be completed within 365 days of the first day of practice. Your child's healthcare provider must complete the specialized "Preparticipation Physical Evaluation" (page 3) before signing/providing the sports clearance form (page 2).

• Please do not submit your child’s general PE form in place of the sports form. This will not be accepted for sports clearance.  

FOR GRADES 9-12 ONLY 

If your child plans on participating in volleyball, basketball, cheer or track, you must complete all relevant sections in Google Forms (see below) and upload a copy of the Medical Eligibility/Sports Physical (👉click here to access) signed and stamped by your child's provider. Sports physical examination forms that must be completed within 365 days of the first day of practice. Your child's healthcare provider must complete the specialized "Preparticipation Physical Evaluation" before signing/providing the sports clearance form.

Please also review the information on pages 15-22 of the Medical Packet (here) before providing your consent in Google Forms.

Directions for completing the Health History Questionnaire and Parental Consents in Google Forms:

• Step 1: Click on your child’s grade to access the correct Google Forms link : (here are the google form links again:👉Grade 9 ✦ Grade 10 ✦ Grade 11 ✦ Grade 12)

• Step 2: Fill in/answer the required information/questions, then click "Next" until you reach “Section 4: Sports Forms” 

• Step 3: Upload the required Medical Eligibility/Sports Physical, which require a provider's signature/office stamp and must be uploaded to the correct Google Forms (linked above)

• Step 4: click "next" again to be directed to the "Health History Questionnaire" section- you must answer each question in this section and provide an explanation to any questions answered "yes"

• Step 5: Provide consent that you read through the above mentioned pamphlets (in the original medical packet) by typing your full name where it asks for “Parent/Guardian signature”. 

Please do not submit your child’s general PE form in place of the sports form. The general physical exam form will not be accepted for sports clearance!!!

Medication Administration During School

This section applies to students who need to take any medication during the school day, including:

• Over-the-counter medications (Tylenol, Motrin, Claritin, etc.)

• Prescription medications (ADHD medications, antibiotics, eye drops, anxiety medications, etc.)

Medication Requirements

All medications must:

• Be in the original pharmacy-labeled container

• Be unexpired

• Be accompanied by a completed Medication Administration Form 

• Be signed by both the prescribing provider and parent/guardian

• Be updated yearly

Self-Carry / Self-Administration

Self-carry and self-administration privileges apply only to emergency medications, such as:

• Albuterol inhalers (SABA) for asthma

• Epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPen) for severe allergic reactions

• Emergency glucagon for diabetes

• Other emergency medications as determined by the prescribing provider and approved by the school nurse

For a student to carry and administer their own emergency medication at school:

• The prescribing provider must complete and sign the Self-Administer section of the Medication Administration Form

• The parent/guardian must also sign the authorization section

• The request must be reviewed and approved by the school nurse and school administration

Students may only carry medications specifically approved for emergency use. All other medications must be stored and administered through the health office.

Allergy, Asthma, and Seizure Action Plans

These forms are required for students who require emergency medications at school.

Allergy Action Plans

Students with life-threatening allergies must provide:

• An updated Allergy Action Plan  signed by the prescribing provider and parent/guardian

• Two unexpired EpiPens in the original pharmacy-labeled box

Two EpiPens are required in case symptoms return after the first dose.

Asthma Action Plans

Students with asthma must provide:

• A current Asthma Action Plan  signed and stamped by the prescribing provider

• An unexpired albuterol inhaler or nebulization medication

Seizure Action Plans

Students with a seizure disorder must provide:

• An updated Seizure Action Plans: 

• Two doses of emergency seizure medication

Emergency seizure medications are also controlled substances and must follow the medication handling policies described above.

ADHD Medications and Other Controlled Substances

Medications such as Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, and similar stimulants are controlled substances and must be handled carefully.

These medications must:

• Be delivered to the school nurse in person by a parent or guardian

• Remain in the original pharmacy container

• Students may not transport these medications themselves

Students with Diabetes

Students with diabetes must provide:

• Medication orders and care plans

• All necessary medical supplies

• Emergency medications such as glucagon or insulin if required
  
  

Annual Health Screenings & Parent Consent

School health screenings will take place between March 2026 and June 2026.

As required by New Jersey state guidelines, schools must offer annual screenings including:

• Height

• Weight

• Blood pressure

• Vision

• Hearing

Students may only participate if a signed Annual Health Screenings/Parent Consent Form has been submitted.

Parents may opt out if these screenings were recently completed during a physical exam. To opt out, select the appropriate option on the consent form and provide documentation from your child’s healthcare provider.

NEW STUDENTS

Medical Form Requirements/Health Info For New Students:

1. Immunization records

• Please refer to the NJ Immunization Requirements and double-check with your child's pediatrician to ensure they meet all immunization requirements. Once confirmed, please ask for a copy of your child's full and up-to-date immunization record. Immunization records must be provided before their start date.

• Students without documentation of all required vaccinations will not be permitted to start school until proper documentation or exemption paperwork is submitted (seriously...it's a state mandate, not just me being the immunization police - see vaccine compliance flow chart). 

• Questions? Email me at kmcmanus@hobokencs.net and I'll happily walk you through it.  

2.  ('25-'26) HCS Physical exam (PE) form (2025-2026) OR Universal Child Health Record (NJ): either form is valid

• All NEW STUDENTS must have an up-to-date physical examination form, complete with the provider's signature and office stamp, to attend any public charter school in New Jersey.

• The physical exam must be within one year of the school's start date. PE forms dated earlier than one year from today's date will not be accepted.

• If the date of examination is not within the year, please contact your child's pediatrician to either schedule an annual physical exam and/or request an updated PE form. (If your child's PE form is out of date, but their annual physical exam is scheduled for sometime in the near future, please let me know!)

3. Medical Conditions (New Students)

If your child has any medical conditions that may require nursing care during the school day, please notify the school nurse as soon as possible. 

This includes conditions such as: 

• food allergies 

• asthma 

• seizure disorders 

• diabetes

• or any other health concern that may require medication, monitoring, or medical intervention while at school. 

Please email Nurse Kaitie directly so we can discuss your child’s needs and ensure all required forms, medications, and care plans are in place before the start of the school year.