Health Services
The Health Services Department works to support the physical health and well-being of students so they can fully participate in learning and school activities. The department collaborates with families, school staff, and healthcare providers to help meet students' health needs and maintain safe, healthy learning environments.
Health Services provides oversight for school nursing services, student health records, medication administration, health screenings, immunization requirements, and individualized health care plans. The department also serves as a resource for families seeking information about student health requirements, illness prevention, and school health procedures.
Whether assisting a student with a daily medical need, supporting a family through a health concern, or helping schools respond to health-related situations, the Health Services Department is committed to promoting student wellness and supporting academic success.
To contact our department, please see the listing of Health Services staff in our directory, or call 804-733-2700.
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District Staff
To view Prince George County Public Schools' central office staff directory, click HERE.
Our Mission
The mission of our school health services program is to promote health and wellness for our students and their families, our staff, and our community. Our goals are to:
- Provide students with first aid and emergency care for illness and injury.
- Provide nursing care to students with health needs.
- Ensure access or referral to primary health care services and community resources.
- Prevent and control communicable disease and other health problems.
- Promote a safe and healthy school environment to help advance academic success.
- Prevent unnecessary absences by providing accommodations specified in student specific health care plans.
- Provide educational and counseling opportunities for promoting individual, family, and community health.
- Bridge health care and education with care coordination using evidence-based nursing practices.
Learn more about our health services department by viewing our program overview below:
PGCPS Infectious Disease Plan
Prince George County Public Schools utilizes a layered approach to infection prevention and control designed to support the health, safety, and well-being of our students, staff, and visitors.
Through a combination of enhanced cleaning and disinfecting practices, building ventilation improvements, school health services, staff training, inventory management, immunization compliance, and ongoing collaboration with public health partners, the division works to reduce the spread of illness and maintain healthy learning environments.
These efforts are guided by current public health recommendations and reflect our commitment to providing safe, supportive schools where students can learn and thrive.
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- School buildings, classrooms, and surface areas are cleaned utilizing EPA-approved disinfectants effective against COVID-19, norovirus, influenza, and other viruses and bacteria.
- The division is actively assessing and improving building ventilation efforts. PGCPS works to maintain all water systems to ensure their proper operation for students and staff.
- Every Prince George County Public Schools campus has a registered nurse available to support the school community's health and medical needs.
- Division staff are trained to promote behaviors that reduce the spread of viruses and germs, as well as strategies that support infection control efforts.
- PGCPS and its Department of Health Services provide strategies and resources to support vulnerable students who may be at a higher risk of severe illness.
- The division conducts regular inventory inspections to ensure all campuses have suitable supplies to support the health and wellness of students and staff.
- PGCPS maintains regular communication with our school community through the division's official channels regarding health-related matters.
- Division employees work in collaboration with the Department of Health to ensure students are properly immunized for school entry in accordance with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) vaccine schedule.
- PGCPS follows current guidance and return-to-school protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- The division encourages parents, guardians, and staff to utilize a symptom checker daily before coming to school and to follow current illness guidelines and return-to-school protocols.
- PGCPS partners with the Virginia Department of Health, the Crater Health District, and the Prince George Health Department to receive ongoing guidance regarding communicable disease prevention strategies and vaccination opportunities.
Protect Yourself From Getting Sick
The most important thing you can do to protect yourself from COVID-19, flu, and RSV is to stay up to date on your recommended vaccines. Even when vaccines don’t prevent infection, they often tame these viruses, reducing severity, and preventing their worst outcomes, like hospitalization and death. Along with staying up-to-date on your vaccines, practicing good hygiene by covering your coughs and sneezes, washing or sanitizing your hands often, and cleaning frequently touched surfaces can help. Also, taking steps for cleaner air can help reduce the spread of respiratory viruses. This can mean bringing in fresh outside air by opening a window, purifying indoor air, or having outdoor social activities.
Even if you practice these core prevention strategies, you may still catch a virus and develop respiratory symptoms. If that happens, the updated Guidance recommends two actions:
Note: People who are at higher risk for severe illness who start to feel sick should seek health care right away so that they can access testing and/or treatment. Early treatment for COVID-19 or flu may prevent severe disease in people at higher risk, even if they are up to date with their vaccines.
Step 1: Stay at home. As much as possible, you should stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after both:
1. Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
2. You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).
This advice is similar to what has been recommended for flu for decades and will help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses during the most contagious period after infection. Not all respiratory virus infections result in a fever, so paying attention to other symptoms (cough, muscle aches, etc.) is important as you determine when you are well enough to leave home. If your symptoms are getting better, and stay better for 24 hours, you are less likely to pass your infection to others and you can start getting back to your daily routine and move on to Step 2.
Step 2: Resume normal activities, and use added prevention strategies over the next five days, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing your hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask, keeping a distance from others, and/or getting tested for respiratory viruses. People can choose to use these prevention strategies at any time. Since some people remain contagious beyond the “stay-at-home” period, taking added precautions can lower the chance of spreading respiratory viruses to others.
Masking
Per the Virginia Department of Health, any individual who wishes to continue to mask, including those who face higher risk from COVID-19, may do so as an option.
Immunization Information
The Code of Virginia requires children entering daycare, public and private schools to give proof of vaccination before enrolling in school. The vaccines should be given based on the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Family Physicians.
Please visit the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) website to learn more about school immunization requirements and exemptions, and view the fliers below for more information about immunization clinics hosted by the Crater Health District throughout the year.
Central Virginia Health Services
Central Virginia Health Services, Inc. is a community based, non-profit organization that provides high quality primary health care to anyone who needs it. To learn more about their offerings, visit their website by clicking the link below.