May 21, 2013

When one of Middleburgh's students feels under the weather, has a fever or needs a physical, he or she can be checked out by a physician's assistant housed right in their school.

Since 2007, hundreds of elementary, middle school and high school students have been seen at the school-based health centers, which are part of the Bassett Health Care network.

Middleburgh is the only school district in Schoharie County that is part of the network and provides this service to students and their families. The district provides space at the elementary and middle school/high school for the centers; there is no other cost to the school district.

For more information about the program, check this link for Bassett Health Care, which is based in Cooperstown.

Middleburgh's School-Based Health Centers

Students at the elementary school and the middle school/high school have access to a physician's assistant and medical care during the school day. The office provides student physicals, write prescriptions, provide immunizations and health screenings and diagnoses infections and other ailments.

"If a child isn't feeling well, the parent can send the child to school and not miss a day at work," said Nicole Dunn, physician's assistant at the centers. "If it's an ear infection or something that isn't contagious, I call in a prescription and send the child back to class, depending on how they feel."

Parents must send in a note with the child in order to be seen during the day in the Health Center. She also sees students that have already gone to the nurse's office and may need additional care as well as regular appointments for students with issues like acne or obesity.

There are no out-of-pocket costs for the Health Center services. If a child's family has insurance or medicaid, those are billed; if a family has no insurance, there is no cost for the office visit. Costs of services outside of the Health Center, like prescriptions, x-rays, MRIs or laboratory tests, must be paid separately.

Dr. Chris Kjolhede from Bassett Health Care is in the office about once a month.

"The real benefit of this program is that it provides care for kids who may not get care otherwise," said Dunn.

The center opened at the elementary school in September 2007 and at the middle school/high school in December 2007.

To contact the elementary Health Center, call 827-3793.

To contact the middle school/high school Health Center, call 827-3716.

Let's Go 5-2-1-0

The School Based Health Center staff is very excited about a new approach to student health beginning in the 2012-13 school year. This healthy lifestyles program is called 5-2-1-0, and it encourages a series of key health messages that will help staff, students and parents alike to become aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle each and every day. Here’s what the numbers mean:

5 or more fruits and vegetables a day
2 hours or less TV/computer screen time
1 hour or more of physical activity
0 sugary drinks (replace with more water and low-fat milk)