Health Services
Coordinated School Health Program
Cherokee County Schools recognizes that a healthy mind and body is vital to student academic success as well as overall well-being. Healthy students and healthy staff achieve more together. At CCS, we support teachers, parents, and communities to meet the physical, emotional, social, and educational needs of our students.
Services provided:
- Health Services: Prevention, education, emergency care, referrals, and management of health problems; non-invasive vision, dental, or hearing screenings designed to minimize problems that interfere with learning
- Health Education: Instruction geared at improving student health and reducing risky behaviors as they relate to Physical, Emotional, and Social needs is taught at all CCS schools.
- Physical Education and Activity: All students participate in an organized curriculum that teaches developmentally and age-appropriate skills and promotes lifelong activity; 30 minutes per day for grades K - 5 and 45 minutes per day for grades 6 - 8. All students in grades 9 - 12 earn one-course credit in Physical and Health Education.
- Nutrition Services: CCS promotes healthy eating through nutrition education and healthy, nutritious meals provided daily by CCS School Nutrition Department.
- Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services: All school counselors are trained to support social and emotional well-being as well as how to support students and families in times of a crisis.
- Family Engagement: CCS supports families and schools working together to promote student well-being and success.
- Community Engagement: CCS welcomes community partners to work together with our schools to enhance the school setting and better the community.
Benefits of Coordinated School Health
- Reduced school absenteeism
- Reduction in behavior problems in the classroom
- Improved student performance as they may be more alert and positive attitudes in the classroom thus improving test scores
- Increased cooperation between families, schools, and outside health officials and community organizations
- Positive school climate
- An increase in health awareness among students
School Nursing Services
All CCS school nurses are registered nurses (RNs). School nursing services include, but are not limited to:
- Individual health care needs assessments for students
- Emergency care for serious illness or injury when on-site
- Support health promotion and wellness initiatives
- School staff instruction and supervision in the provision of care for those students with special health care needs
- Health care plan development, revision, and evaluation including Emergency Action Plans, Individual Health Care Plans, and health-related components of Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) and 504 plans
- Direct provision of nursing health care services
- Screenings for all students in Pre-K through 8th grade: vision, hearing, dental, and body mass index (BMI)
- Communicable disease control through assessment of students, referral for medical care, and infection control measures to limit or prevent the spread of disease
Dental Services
As part of our regular school preventative dental health program, CCS partners with NC Oral Health Section. Students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 4th Grade receive a dental screening from a licensed dental hygienist. These screenings serve as an educational, positive dental experience as well as collect information to help improve the Children’s Dental Health programs. Dental referrals may be provided to identified students.
The Smile Dental Program is a mobile dental program that comes to each school in our LEA to provide dental services to students whose parents choose to register. They provide cleaning, varnish, fluoride treatments, and minor dental procedures.
Chronic Health Problems or Conditions:
Keeping all students safe, healthy, and ready to be at their best is our number one goal and concern. If your child has a chronic health problem or any other health condition (examples: diabetes, asthma, allergies, seizures, etc.) that needs special assistance at school, please contact your school health nurse.
Parents should:
- Notify the school nurse
- If medication is required during school hours, then please ensure the medication administration authorization form (signed by physician and parent) is provided to the nurse. Medication should be provided in a labeled prescription or over-the-counter bottle
- Complete, review, and sign emergency action plans or individualized health plans that are provided by the school nurse
- Contact the school nurse if there are any changes in your child’s medical conditions
When should your child stay at home:
- If your child has an oral temperature above 100.0 (student should remain home until fever-free for 24 hours unaided with medication)
- If your child has vomiting or diarrhea two or more times within 24 hours
- If your child shows signs of a potentially contagious illness
School Nurses
- Andrews Elementary & Andrews Middle Schools - Brooke Postell
- Andrews High School - Stephanie Davenport
- Murphy Elementary School - Beth Decker
- Murphy Middle School, School of Innovation, Tri-County Early College - Lori Revis
- Murphy High School - Heather Watson ( Lead Nurse CCS)
- Peachtree Elementary & Martins Creek Schools- Rebekah Carter
- Hiwassee Dam & Ranger Elementary/Middle School - Amy Dickert