All medication must be delivered to the School Nurse or other designated school employee by the student’s parent, legal guardian or a previously designated adult. It is against School District Policy for a student to carry ANY medication on their person without physician permission, parent permission and school district permission to self-administer and self-monitor (SC Law S144). All medication will be maintained in the health room. Medication required for field trips must be given to and administered by an employee of Thornwell Charter School designated by the principal. There are separate permission forms for medications on field trips.

For your child’s safety please remember:

ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must have written parental and physician authorization before medication can be administered at school. Form MED-1.

All PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must be administered as labeled and OTC medications may not exceed package directions.

ALL PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION must be brought to school by a legal guardian or designated person over 18 years of age and given directly to the school nurse or designated school personnel.

OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS may be provided by the parent if it is in a new - unopened  container, clearly labeled with the student’s name and is accompanied by written parental permission. Form MED-3.

Parents are responsible for knowing the expiration date of any medication brought to school and replacing medication before the expiration date. School Nurses will not administer any medication passed the expiration date.

ALL MEDICATION MUST BE IN THE ORIGINAL CONTAINER.

No medication containing ASPIRIN can be given at school without a doctor’s authorization. This includes but is not limited to Pepto Bismol, Excedrin, and some OTC cold medications.

If your child forgets to take a morning dose of medication, school nurses are not allowed to give that dose at school. Parents may come to the Health Room to give the missed dose.

Students with medication prescribed by a health care provider contained in the original packaging and appropriately labeled may carry these medications, may self-monitor and may self-administer these medications only if we have permission from the prescribing doctor and the parent/legal guardian. If there is sufficient evidence that unsupervised self-monitoring or self-medicating would seriously jeopardize the safety of the student or others, the school district may refuse to allow the student to carry his/her medication. Examples of medications that are approved for self-administering are asthma inhalers, insulin for diabetic students, and Epi-Pens for severe allergic reactions.

Herbal/Alternative Medicinal Products are not regulated by the FDA, thus the quality and effectiveness of these products vary. Employees of GCSD will not administer Herbal/Alternative Medicinal products. A Physician Authorization form as well as a Parent-Student Agreement form must be completed and turned into your school nurse prior to allowing your student to self-administer an herbal/alternative product in the school setting. See your school nurse for required forms and additional information.

Contacting Parents

If your child comes to the Health Room and needs to go home, we must contact a parent or legal guardian. We cannot send a student home with anyone until a parent has been notified. This is why it is so very important that we have current information about how to contact you at all times. If your child has an emergency situation or needs immediate care that cannot be provided at school, those contacts you list on the Health Card will be called IF we cannot reach a parent first. Please understand that this is for your child's protection.

Student Emergency Information Form

On the first day of school your child will be given an Emergency Information sheet (see below) to be completed by a parent. This is very important. Please print all information clearly. This will be the only way we have to reach you in case of an emergency at school. If at anytime ANY of this information should change please notify your school nurse immediately.

State Immunization Requirements

A child will not be allowed to attend any school or child development program without a valid SC Certificate of Immunization or a medical, religious, or special exemption.

If your child does not have a valid certificate, take his/her shot records to your physician or the county Health Department (282-4100). A parent or adult authorized by the parent must accompany a student under 16 who requires shots. For further information, call Medical Health Services at 808-0959.

In 2019-20: All 7th through 12th graders will be required to have a Tdap vaccine. Follow DHEC guidelines for appropriate Tdap administration. 

A new Hepatitis A vaccine requirement for school will begin for 5K with the 2024-2025 school year.

Latest Guidelines

Safety Protocols

Historical Information

All students in grades K-4, K-5, 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th grades will be screened for distant vision problems. If your child does not pass this screening, he will be screened again in two weeks. If he/she does not pass this screening, you will be notified that your child needs further evaluation by a Physician or Optometrist. Please have this letter completed and return it to your School Nurse. If your child is not in one of these grades, and you would like to have their vision screened, please send a note to your child’s Nurse and he/she will be glad to screen your child.

Hearing Screening

All students in K3, K4, K5, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades will have their hearing screened annually. If your child does not pass the initial screening, he/she will be rescreened at a later date. If he/she does not pass the re-screening the Nurse will refer your child to the District Audiologist. You will be notified by mail concerning further evaluation. If your child is not in one of these grades and you wish to have a screening, please send a note to your School Nurse and he/she will be glad to screen your child.

Partners For Healthy Children

Apply for Medicaid over the Phone at 1-888-549-0820

Safe Access to Vital Epinephrine (SAVE) Act

The Safe Access to Vital Epinephrine (SAVE) Act, recently approved by the South Carolina Legislature, allows school districts to store supplies of epinephrine auto-injectors for identified school staff to use in emergencies for students with allergic reactions.

Parents and guardians of students with known allergies should continue to provide Epi-pens for their children. These students will continue to have Allergy Action Plans/IHP developed by the school nurse.

Save Act-Epinephrine Information