Health Policies & Requirements

All students attending St. Andrew’s School must have the following vaccinations and immunizations as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• One dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) vaccine;
• Four or five doses of Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTP or DTaP) vaccine depending on the dates of administration;
• Three or four doses of Polio vaccine (last dose given after the 4th birthday);
• Two doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)  vaccine or equivalent (1st dose given 12 months old or later; 2nd dose given at least 1 month after 1st dose);
• Three doses Hepatitis B vaccine;
• Two doses of Varicella vaccine (unless history of chicken pox or titers—provider documentation required); and
• One dose of Meningococcal (ACWY) vaccine within the previous 5 years.

If the student is missing any required vaccines, the parent or guardian will be contacted by the Health Center. It is the responsibility of parents and guardians to comply with St. Andrew's School’s policy regarding these required vaccinations and immunizations. In exceptional cases, the Health Center may consider arranging for the student to receive the missing vaccine(s) from one of our medical providers. The parent or guardian will be responsible for all costs incurred by this process. Request for medical exemption to any portion of these requirements must be accompanied by the medical provider’s documentation including the related diagnoses. The request will be reviewed and additional information may be requested before a decision is provided.

Highly Recommended Vaccinations & Immunizations

• Up to date (as defined by the CDC) on COVID-19 vaccines

Recommended Vaccinations & Immunizations

The following vaccinations and immunizations are recommended for students but are not required:

• Two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine
• Two doses of Meningococcal (ACWY) vaccine
• Two or Three doses of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (dependent on administration of 1st dose)
• Two or Three doses of Meningococcal (Men B) vaccine (dependent on administration of 1st dose)

Flu Vaccine

Our students and faculty live and breathe in such close proximity to one another. In the boarding school environment, students share everything—including their illnesses! For this reason, the Health Center offers and administers the flu vaccine to students, faculty, and staff each fall term (beginning in late September or early October). The flu vaccine is administered under the direction of the collaborating physician at Nemours Pediatrics and the pharmacist at Acme Sav On Pharmacy. In order to ensure that we maintain a healthy campus throughout the entire School year, we highly recommend that all students receive a flu vaccine.

The flu vaccine will be billed through your primary health/prescription insurance plan. Parents and guardians must select their option on the health forms. Please note that the flu mist (nasal spray) is not offered. We only offer the flu vaccine that is injected into the arm.

If a student prefers to receive his or her flu vaccine at home, we recommend getting it during the Long Weekend in October. For our seasonal flu vaccine, it should not be administered before August. The Health Center requires documentation from the medical provider as to which type of flu vaccine the student received and the date that it was administered.

During the flu season, the Health Center may reach full capacity; on these occasions, students may be sent home to recuperate.

Travel Vaccinations & Immunizations

St. Andrew’s Health Services may assist in arranging for an outside healthcare provider to administer any travel vaccinations or immunizations that are requested by parents and guardians. Parents and guardians are responsible for the cost of these immunizations and associated travel fees. Please allow adequate notice of at least 3 weeks when requesting.

Each student is required to have a physical examination after June 30, 2022, with the related health forms completed after April 1, 2023, per Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) regulations. As part of this physical, the medical doctor (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), physician's assistant (PA), or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) performing the exam is required to complete and sign the related health forms (available in your SchoolAdmin portal).

Please note that it is NOT acceptable for students to arrive on campus without a physical examination and with incomplete health forms. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in meeting these deadlines and requirements.

If your child has a history of asthma, severe allergy or anaphylaxis, diabetes, or seizure disorder, please have your doctor complete the appropriate Emergency Action Plan for this condition. Emergency Action Plan forms are included in our health forms and can also be found below. You can submit an Emergency Action Plan form to us via upload through your SchoolAdmin portal.

• Anaphylaxis Action Plan
• Asthma Action Plan
• Seizure Action Plan
• Diabetes Action Plan — Please contact the Health Center to discuss
  your child’s diabetic management plan.

Proof of health coverage for your child(ren) is required. Parents/guardians must review the Medical Resources Contact List of St. Andrew’s School providers to verify with their primary insurance company that their child will be covered either through away-from-home coverage, in-network, and/or out-of-network while attending our school.

If you are interested in purchasing an insurance plan offered by the school, please review the Insurance Plans 2023-2024.

Parents/guardians waiving the purchase of the insurance plan offered by the school, with the exception of students covered by Medicaid, are solely responsible for payment of all medical treatment for their student not covered through their primary insurance.

For students not covered by typical third-party employer-sponsored or government-sponsored health insurance and who waive the school’s insurance coverage, with the exception of those students covered by Medicaid, parents/guardians will take full responsibility for coordinating all medical care, transportation, transportation cost, and payment involving providers who do not accept their coverage whether or not the provider is on the Medical Resources Contact provider list. Pre-registering with providers is encouraged. St. Andrew’s School will assume no responsibility for the payment of, or authorization to pay, medical expenses for enrolled students not otherwise covered by an insurance plan. Emergent care will always be provided as needed and appropriate.

Healthcare providers are available to students by appointment only, at their respective offices. Please refer to our Medical Resources List for the providers we use. Our collaborating physician practices with Nemours Pediatrics Middletown. Health Center staff will complete the forms required by Nemours Pediatrics on your behalf, as authorized by your signature on our health forms in your SchoolAdmin portal. The forms required by Nemours Pediatrics are:

• Authorization for Treatment and Release of Information for Treatment, Payment and Health Care Operations Purposes form; and
• Financial Responsibility and Assignment of Benefits form.

The following types of medications (prescription, over-the-counter, and supplements) will continue to be dispensed from the Health Center and are not allowed on dorm:

• All controlled substances and Schedule 2 medications, including:
  • Stimulant medications to treat attention deficit (Ritalin, Adderall, etc.)
  • Post-procedure/injury pain medications that contain opioids (such as Percocet)
• All psychoactive medications (Zoloft, Wellbutrin, citalopram, etc.) 
• All sleep aids, including the supplement Melatonin
• All anti-pyretic (fever-reducing) medications that are also used to treat pain and inflammation, including:
  • Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc)
  • Naproxen (Aleve)
  • Aspirin (Bayer, Excedrin, etc.)
  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • Medications that contain any of these fever-reducer/pain-relievers as an ingredient (NyQuil, Robitussin, Dimetapp, etc)
• All cough suppressants and other medications used alleviate cold symptoms
• As-needed antihistamines (Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra, etc.)
  • Students requiring daily antihistamines for documented allergies may keep these medications on dorm

If your student takes a type or class of medication or supplement not listed above and you would like them to keep this medication with them on dorm, please complete this authorization form and email it to healthcenter@standrews-de.org. The form must be signed by you and by your family's healthcare provider. Students will not be able to keep and self-administer a medication on dorm without a completed authorization form.

We ask that all vitamins, dietary, and nutritional supplements (excluding melatonin) be kept on dorm. Regardless of where a student's medication will be stored and administered, all medication and supplements will still need to be verified by Health Center staff on move-in day. Please bring medications and supplements in their original container, with an appropriate U.S pharmacy label (if prescribed). Please make sure you do not bring expired medication to campus.  

It is a violation of a major school rule for students to possess, distribute or use prescribed and OTC medications in their rooms without the knowledge and permission of the Health Center. It is also a major violation of our alcohol/drug rules for a student to use prescription medication as a recreational drug or for students to use over-the-counter medications in an abusive manner. Any unapproved medications found on dorm will be confiscated and the Head of School will be notified.

Procedure for scheduled medication

Any prescription medications not listed above are to be kept in the Health Center at all times. Students must come to the Health Center to take these prescription medications, as well as certain over-the-counter medications. The School nurse will administer prescription or over-the-counter medication to students if the following requirements are met:

• For prescription medications, a current prescription is required.
• All medication must be checked in to the Health Center as soon as the student or parent/guardian carrying the medication arrives on campus.
• All medication must be received by the Health Center in its original container.
• The label on the prescription medication must include the correct: student name, medication name, current dosage, time, frequency, route of administration, and provider's name, as well as the pharmacy address and phone number.
• Any changes to the instructions on the label must be received in writing from the associated health care provider. This includes changes to "as needed" medications.
• Controlled substances will be counted during intake to the Health Center.

International prescriptions and/or medications are not permitted. Verbal prescriptions are not allowed. Some nutritional supplements may be allowed with approval by a SAS Nurse.

If a student fails to come to the Health Center for a scheduled medication, an email reminder may be sent to the student with a copy to his or her dorm parent, parent or guardian, academic advisor, Dean of Students, Associate Head of School, and counselor (if assigned). Medications can be obtained from the Health Center after returning from an away sporting event or other off-campus activity.

Procedure for As-Needed Medication

Students may come to the Health Center at any time for over-the-counter medications stocked by the Health Center, if permission was given on the required health form questionnaire.

Medication Policy for School Breaks

Prior to School breaks, an email will be sent to parents/guardians requesting approval to send medications home with students for the break. Medications will not be sent with a student if we do not receive approval from his or her parent/guardian. Parents/guardians should review their students’ prescription(s) before they return to school in case they need to refill it or in the event they need to contact the provider for a new prescription. It is the responsibility of the student to turn in all medications to the Health Center as soon as he or she returns to campus following the break. Parents/guardians can also return medication to the Health Center, but the student will be held accountable for any medications not turned in.

Discontinued medications will only be released to parents. If a discontinued medication is not picked up by the end of the school year, the Health Center will dispose of it.

The Health Center will automatically dispose of any expired medications.

Accutane Therapy

Students on Accutane Therapy must provide the Health Center with monthly prescriptions for routine lab work and medication refills. If a student will be seeing a Delaware dermatologist while on campus, parents should make appointments well in advance, and inform the Health Center of the date and time of each appointment. The Health Center will provide transportation if necessary, and the student will be charged accordingly.

Local Pharmacy

Our primary and preferred pharmacy is Acme Sav-On Pharmacy (located at 460 East Main Street in Middletown; phone: 302-449-1868; fax: 302-449-1876).

There are two secondary pharmacies near the School: Walgreens Pharmacy (located at 396 E. Main Street in Middletown; phone: 302-378-1891; fax: 302-449-2009) and CVS Pharmacy (located at 674 Middletown Odessa Road in Middletown; phone: 302-378-2287; fax: 302-378-4415). If either one of these pharmacies are being used by the child’s medical provider from home, parents/guardians will need to notify Health Services if/when the prescription is available. Parents/guardians will be charged through Blackbaud Management Tuition for the cost of the prescriptions unless payment was previously arranged by the parent/guardian.

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Parents/guardians will need to acknowledge and agree that they have read the following information pertaining to prescription and over-the-counter medications as indicated in the related health forms in your SchoolAdmin portal.

I hereby give the St. Andrew’s School Health Center permission to:

• administer over-the-counter (OTC) medications to my child in accordance with Delaware State laws;
• administer prescription medication, whether it has been prescribed before or during the school year, to my child;
• allow faculty members to assist with self-administration on School-sponsored trips; and
• allow my child to self-administer medication on dorm, after being approved by the Health Center staff, for such medications as asthma inhalers, and epinephrine auto-injectors.

I understand that:

• St. Andrew’s School does not accept responsibility to any consequences in the event my child fails to follow the directions for self-administered medications;
• the Health Center reserves the right to revoke my child’s privilege of self-administration if there is any question as to the child’s competency or compliance in the ability to safely self-administer such medications;
• the Health Center will NOT accept verbal orders for medications (prescriptions and/or over-the counter);
• if I need to send medication for my child, I will mail it directly to the Health Center and NOT to my child;
• only a 90-day supply of any medication can be kept on campus;
• medications and supplements are NOT permitted on dorm unless they are approved by the Health Center staff;
• international medications (prescriptions and/or over-the-counter) are NOT permitted. Some nutritional supplements may be approved by the Health Center;  
• if applicable to my child, I will provide the required Epi-Pen twin pack for my child to carry at all times;
• if applicable, I will provide two (2) of any inhaled medications (such as an inhaler and/or nebulizer medication), as required, to the Health Center at the start of the school year and/or during the school year if/when my child is prescribed such medication(s) so that one can be given to my child and the other can remain in the Health Center as a back-up;
• if my child takes prescription medication at any time during the school year and my child misses picking up his/her medication, the Health Center staff may send an email reminder to my child, with a copy to the dorm parent, advisor, counselors, Dean of Students, Associate Head of School, Director of Academic Support, and parent/guardian;
• the Health Center will dispose of expired medications; and
• the Health Center will dispose of discontinued medications if not picked up by the parent/guardian.

The Health Center will make appointments and provide transportation to local medical providers for sick or injured students. Our medical providers give us the first available appointment, but this does not always guarantee same-day service. (Please see the Sick or Injured Students section of this page for more information.) The Director of Health Services has the authority to deny requests for non-urgent transportation to medical providers if those requests create a disruption to the daily operations of the Health Center.

We request that parents/guardians make arrangements for any visits to sub-specialists—such as dermatologists; ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors; cardiologists; pulmonologists; or allergists—while the student is at home during School breaks. If a student has an appointment at home while School is in session, the parent/guardian must notify the Health Center AND the Dean's Office prior to the date of the appointment. Non-urgent specialty appointments will be arranged locally and secondary to the daily operations of the Health Center only when said appointment cannot take place at home. We request that parents do not change already set appointments before consulting with the Health Center, as a change may cause disruption to the daily operations of the Health Center and planned transportation. A fee per appointment (determined by location) may be billed to the parents/guardians through their Blackbaud Management Tuition Account for any and all specialty appointments, including physical therapy and chiropractic appointments. The transportation department charges $40 for all medical transports outside the Middletown area.

In the event that your child needs to see a specialist and a referral is needed from his or her primary care physician, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to make the necessary phone calls to secure the referral before the specialty appointment can be made for the student.

Students are admitted to the Health Center when they are at risk of spreading infection to other students, or are sick or injured to a degree that warrants monitoring by a nurse. Parents and guardians will be notified when students are admitted to the Health Center for more than 24 hours.

If a student needs medical attention from one of our medical providers, the Health Center will contact the parent or guardian. A School driver or staff member will transport sick or injured students to necessary medical appointments. A fee per appointment (determined by location) may be billed to the parents/guardians through their Blackbaud Management Tuition Account. The transportation department charges $40 for all medical transports outside the Middletown area.

If deemed necessary by the Director of Health Services, the student may be sent home to recover from their illness or injury. If the Health Center reaches full capacity due to illness, students may be sent home to recuperate.

When a student is returning to school after being home due to illness or injury, the student must check in with the Health Center first, before returning to dorm and resuming School activities. The student may require a letter from your healthcare provider authorizing him or her to return to School.

Please note that it is important that parents and guardians notify the Health Center if a student becomes sick, injured, is hospitalized, undergoes surgery, or receives vaccinations at any time after the annual submission of our health forms, or during a School break.

Medical Leave

Medical leaves from school are intended to address a student's health, which is the priority, and to provide the necessary amount of time for the important recovery process. Medical leaves are always open-ended, since we do not know or cannot predict when a student will be well enough to return to School. The final decision regarding when a student may return to School rests with the Head of School, Director of Counseling, and the Director of Health Services. Please note that specific guidelines and requirements for medical leaves are listed in our Medical Leave protocol form, which will be given to the parent or guardian of a student if and when the student is sent home on medical leave.

Whenever a student returns from any type of medical leave, the student must check in with the Health Center upon arrival to campus. They are not permitted to return to dorm, class or resume school activities until they have checked in with the Director of Health Services. At that time, any prescription or over-the-counter medications that the student is taking must be turned in.

Surgeries & Hospitalizations

All students are required to recover from any and all hospitalizations, surgeries, or serious illnesses at home. This is to protect the recovering student from being exposed to potentially infectious diseases. The Health Center is not staffed for post-surgical or long-term care. Upon returning to campus after a surgery, hospitalization, or serious illness, a student must present a clearance letter from the provider in question, indicating that the student may return to a residential school, and listing any restrictions, accommodations, and/or required follow-up.

Concussion Policy

Whenever a student has symptoms of a concussion, he or she may be required to see a healthcare provider and possibly a concussion specialist. If a student is diagnosed with a concussion during that examination, he or she may be required to take medical leave to recover from the concussion at home. Before a student can return to sports, he/she must be cleared by a healthcare provider.