Health Center

Hello Pirates!

I am so excited to be part of the Norterra Canyon School family.  I have been a nurse for over 15 years.  I started out my career caring for the smallest of babies in one of the local Neonatal Intensive Care Units.  I absolutely loved my time in the hospital, but decided to look for a new nursing adventure when I had children of my own.  I enjoy working with children, so took the leap of caring for babies, to caring for children.  I was a school nurse at a PreK-6th grade school prior to landing at Norterra Canyon this year.  My priority is to keep the students and staff healthy so we can achieve our goal of high levels of learning for all.  My door is always open, so feel free to stop by and say hello.

It is very important that all students have written proof of all required immunizations, or a valid exemption on file at school. When initially enrolling your child, please upload or bring an updated copy of his/her immunization record to Norterra Canyon.  If you receive a note or message of "Inadequate Immunizations" for your child, please complete these by the date indicated. Failure to compete this in a timely manner is a violation of the law and your child may be excluded from attending school until you comply with the law. Below is a link to the Arizona School Immunization Requirements, Kindergarten thru 12th grade. If your child needs any immunizations they are available free of charge through the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. There are several immunization clinics where children, from birth up to their 19th birthday, may get needed immunizations for no cost. Please contact the nurse if you need referral assistance.  

Preschool Immunization Requirements (Español)

K-12 Immunization Requirements(Español)

Immunization Clinics(Español)

Hearing and vision screening is done for all Preschool, K, 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th grade students, for all new (to district) students, and all students who receive services through the special education department. Parents/ guardians and teachers can request a screening for any student at any time when a concern arises. Referral letters are sent home to notify parents if the student has difficulties with any portion of the vision screening. Students who have difficulty with an initial hearing screening will be tested again in 10-30 school days. If they are still having difficulty hearing all the tones, the student will be referred to the school audiologist. Parent/ guardians will be notified with a referral letter. If you have questions regarding this process or do not wish for your child to be screened, please contact the nurse.

Allergies to peanuts and any other nuts can create a lot of worry and stress for school-age parents. We want to try to create a school atmosphere that is as safe as possible for our students who can develop a severe reaction when exposed to nuts. You can help Norterra staff by filling out the Student Severe Allergy History as completely as possible and provide the school with any medication that would be necessary to administer for a reaction. Below are the forms we utilize in our district to gather information and keep on file so that any staff can read and intervene, if necessary. 

If your child requires over-the-counter medication to counteract an allergic reaction, please know that the school does NOT have a supply of Benadryl or any other medication that the student could receive. Medication of any kind MUST have direction and written permission from the parent, and if a prescription such as an Epi-Pen, a physician's order. The order sheet has room for 2 medication orders on it. 

Safety of the student is of the utmost priority and is a team effort, that of the parents, the staff, and most importantly, the student. By teaching a young student right away how to look at food labels and identify what foods may or may not be safe for them to consume, accidents can be avoided. We have put together tips and responsibilities for each member of the team in order to provide guidance that will help keep the student safe.  

The Medication Administration Log gives written parental/guardian permission to give medications and allows the nurse or other school professional to document and monitor when medications are given. It also provides directions regarding administration on short school days and how the medication is to be treated at the end of the school year. 

Lastly, providing any medication in case of anaphylactic response if best done as soon as possible. If you feel that your student is at an increased risk and would be safer with their emergency medicine in their backpack, there is a form that is required in order to make staff aware that the medication is available on the student, rather than in the health office.

These forms are available in the health office and you can ask for assistance from the nurse or office staff. 

February- National Children's Dental Health Month

Dental Trivia

Did you know??? 

According to the CDC:

Cavities, also known as caries or tooth decay, are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood, yet cavities are preventable. Children who have poor oral health often miss more school and receive lower grades than children who don’t. Untreated cavities can cause pain, infections, and can lead to problems eating, speaking, and learning. More than 1 in 5 children aged 2 to 5 years has at least one cavity in their baby teeth. Children's Dental Health (cdc.gov) 

Cavities are preventable. Fluoride found in drinking water and that which is applied during dental visits will have fewer cavities. Dental sealants are another prevention method and are able to assist in lessening the chance of cavities when applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. 

If you or someone you know needs assistance getting dental care for their children at a reduced cost due to financial or insurance issues, please see below for a list of resources that may be able to help.

List of Dental/Medical Service Providers

• Every bone in your body isn't as strong as your tooth enamel — making it the perfect armor to protect your teeth from cavity-causing bacteria.
• About 300 types of different bacteria make up dental plaque, the material that sticks to teeth and releases acids that eat away at the tooth’s enamel and causes cavities.
• You chew your food on the same side of your mouth as your dominant hand. So if you’re right-handed, you’ll chew mostly on the right side of your mouth.
• You can exert roughly 200 pounds of pressure when you bite down, but biting down that hard can result in breaking your teeth!