Neshoba Central Tobacco
Education Program
       
   

NCMS Home Page

    

Nurse's  Page

Student Illness Policy
   

Tobacco Laws

Tobacco Facts
   

Anti-Tobacco Information

 
 

Contact the Nurse

  
       
     
Meet The School Nurse
       
Stephanie Peebles is Neshoba Central Middle School’s  (NCMS) Tobacco-Free Nurse.  She is a former student at Neshoba Central and a graduate of East Central Community College of Nursing where she received her Associate Degree of Nursing.  She is married to Mark Peebles and they have two children, Kyle and Maggie, who attend Neshoba Central..

The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi funds the School Health Nurse for a Tobacco-Free Mississippi grant program.  This particular grant at NCMS primary purpose is to develop and implement a tobacco prevention program.
   

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Student Illness Policy
       
  • •A runny nose the way many students respond to pollen, dust, chalk, or simply a change in the season.  If it is not the common cold, then it is an allergy.  Do not keep the student home from school.
  • •Diarrhea and vomiting make students very uncomfortable.  If your student has repeated episodes of diarrhea and vomiting, accompanied by fever, a rash or general weakness, consult a physician and keep your student out of school until the illness passes.  A single episode of diarrhea, or even vomiting, accompanied by fever, a rash or general weakness, consult a physician and keep your student out of school until the illness passes.  A single episode of diarrhea, or even vomiting, unaccompanied by any other symptoms, may not be reason enough for the student to miss school.  Please be sure we know how to reach you, if needed.
  • •A bad cough or cold symptoms can indicate a severe cold, bronchitis, flu, or even pneumonia.  A run-of-the-mill cold should not be a reason to miss school.  However, if your student is not acting right, has a fever, has difficulty breathing, or is becoming dehydrated, it could be serious.  Check with your physician right away.
  • •Strep throat and scarlet fever  are two highly contagious conditions caused by streptococcal (bacterial/viral) infection.  The two usually begin with a sore throat and high fever.  About 12 to 48 hours after onset of scarlet fever, a rash will also appear.  A child with either strep throat or scarlet fever should be kept home and treated with antibiotics, as prescribed by a doctor.  After 24 hours on an antibiotic, the child may return to school, with doctor permission.
  • •Conjunctivitis or pink eye  is highly contagious and uncomfortable, so take heed when your child complains of an eye or eyes burning, itching, and producing a whitish discharge.  Minor cases (caused by a virus) and severe cases (caused by bacteria) require treatment with prescription eye drops.  It is best to keep your child home until doctor says it is all right to return usually 24 hours after treatment is begun.
  • •Fever is an important symptom; when it occurs along with a sore throat, nausea, listlessness, or a rash, your student could be a carrier for a contagious illness.  Most physicians advise parents to keep students home during the course of a fever and for an additional 24 hours after the fever has passed.
   

   
     
It's The Law!
       
The Mississippi Legislature passed a law in 2000 session, House Bill no. 641, prohibiting the use of tobacco products on all school properties.  The standards were set for making schools tobacco-free and sends a strong message to our students that tobacco use is unhealthy and will not be tolerated in any part of their education.
Highlights of the bill include:
  • prohibiting tobacco use on all school property (games, buses, buildings and etc.) and at all school-sponsored events that are not held on school property.
  • Penalties for offenders:  1st offense – written warning;  2nd offense - $75 fine;  3rd and subsequent offenses - $150 fine.

Making this law work in our community is an outstanding opportunity to “teach by example”.  Together we can show our children that we value their health now and for the future.

   

   
     
Tobacco & Alcohol Facts
       
  • •Cigarettes are highly addictive.  One-third of young people who are just “experimenting” end up being addicted by the time they are 20.
  • •Nearly one in five high school males uses spit tobacco.  Continuous intake of spit tobacco leads to cancers and a whole host of other diseases.
  • •The average age for people to start drinking in the United States is 12.9 years.
  • •1 in 4 eighth grade students have been drunk in their lifetime.
  • •About 90% of all TOBACCO users start before age 19.
  • •More than 6 million youth under the age of 18 use tobacco.
  • •Teenagers who smoke are 100 times more likely to use marijuana.
   

   
     
Anti-Tobacco Information
       

American Cancer Society
       
  S.W.A.T.  
       
  Reject All Tobacco     The Quit Net  
               

Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi

        

Tobacco Information and Prevention Source
   

   
     
Nurse's Care At School
       
•The nurse’s office is not a primary care facility.  By law, the nurse cannot make a medical diagnosis, prescribe treatment, or administer medication without a physician’s order.  The nurse can assess students for illness and/or injury and arrange for appropriate medical care.  In the past, the nurse has detected various medical conditions, but it is the policy of the nurse to recommend to each student and parent to arrange for a follow-up visit with their physician if signs and symptoms of illness continue to occur.
 
•The NCMS nurse is available during normal office hours and can be reached with the following information:
 
Phone:  601-656-4636
Fax:  601-389-2989
1000 Saint Frances Drive
Philadelphia, Ms 39350