Student Health Information
Food Allergy Awareness
At SCEGGS we are concerned about the safety and wellbeing of all our students. Many of you will know someone who is affected by anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction. A food allergy is an immune system response to a normally harmless food protein that the body believes is harmful. When the individual eats food containing that protein, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, triggering symptoms that can affect a person’s breathing, digestion, skin and/or heart. Nine foods cause 90% of food allergies. Peanuts are the leading cause of severe allergic reactions, followed by tree nuts, shellfish, fish, milk, eggs, wheat, sesame and soy.
There are girls at SCEGGS from Kindergarten to Year 12 with mild to severe food allergies. The only way to manage a food allergy is avoidance. Whilst the children with allergies are being taught to care for themselves at an age appropriate level, we also seek your support. To minimise the risk of exposure for these students we request that no nuts, peanut butter or other nut products are brought to the school site or other school activities.
We also ask that you help us educate your daughter on the importance of not sharing food with others, washing hands after eating and calling out to an adult if she thinks her friend with allergies is sick. We can never totally eliminate the risk of an anaphylaxis episode, but we are all responsible for helping to lessen that risk.
Thank you for your help in protecting those around us. To learn more about anaphylaxis and food allergies, go to www.allergyfacts.org.au and www.allergy.org.au.
Student Health, Medical and Emergency Information
All parents are reminded to provide the School with accurate and relevant medical information. Parents of all new students, as well as Years 3 and 7 students, have been sent the Student Health, Medical and Emergency Information Form. We have upgraded the medical module of our database and want to ensure that all our medical information is absolutely accurate and current.
We value your patience and attention to completing the form so that our data collection, retention and updating is of the highest standard. These forms should have now been returned to the school.
Given that medical circumstances may change, it is essential that our records reflect your daughter’s current health status. If the records require updating and your daughter is in the Primary School, please contact Sarah Johnstone (Acting Primary Head of Student Wellbeing K-6).
All updates for Secondary students should go to your daughter’s Year Co-ordinator.
Year 7 Immunisation Program
The NSW Ministry of Health offers all school students free vaccinations recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). These vaccines are important and protect students through to adulthood.
At SCEGGS all Year 7 Students will be offered the following vaccines on the following dates:
- Visit 1: Wednesday 26 February
- Visit 2: Friday 6 November
- Diptheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine as a booster dose for all students
- Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine 2 dose course
Further information will be provided in the 2020 Parent Information Packs and is also available now in many languages here.
A Record of Vaccination Card will be given to the student at the time of each vaccination at each school clinic. Please keep these cards for your records and provide a copy to your local doctor. The School does not keep vaccination records. If a student is absent for any of the clinics, they will have the opportunity to catch up at the next school visit.
Consent Forms
When available, all Year 7 students will receive consent forms for completion. Only return the consent form if you wish your daughter to receive the vaccines.
Please note that the consent forms for Year 7 students will need a parent/guardian signature for each vaccine requested. The nurses will not be able to vaccinate any student if their form is not signed.
