Health Services

Our two campuses have board-certified nurses overseeing the health of our student body. The City Avenue campus also has a certified athletic trainer for students in grades 6-12. Students and parents are encouraged to contact one of our nurses with questions about managing illness, allergies, or medication at school.

We are members of the National Association of School Nurses and the Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses and Practitioners. Lower Merion School District provides part-time nursing assistance for the implementation of our state-mandated programs, including immunization surveillance and student health screening.

Information about Student Health

All student medical information is located on the online database system, Magnus. As this is a web-based system, you will have continuous access to your child’s health record as well as the ability to make updates when needed. If you download the Magnus Health app and set up a username and password for the app, you will be able to access the account after your child graduates.

Timely submission of health information and other forms is vital so that preparations can be made prior to the first day of school. You will receive weekly reminders as long as there are outstanding items in your account. Please reserve 20 to 30 minutes per new student. This process is faster for returning students, as the previous information will be auto-filled and you will be asked to confirm or update the record. If you have any health-related questions about returning to school, please feel free to contact the Friends' Central Health Service team at healthservices@friendscentral.org.

To Access Your Magnus Account
Please visit the Veracross parent portal to access Magnus using your Veracross Username and Password.

Magnus-Related Questions or Problems?
If you are having difficulty navigating the Magnus system, entering data online, or downloading the hard-copy cover sheets and forms, or if you have any other questions related to the Magnus system, please contact customer support at Magnus Health SMR by phone at 877.461.6831 or by email at service@magnushealthportal.com.

Immunization Alert
All students must present documentation of having met PA Department of School Health immunization requirements by the first day of school. Click here to read the full Immunization Policy. An easy-to-read immunization chart can also be seen here.

COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendation
Friends’ Central recommends that all students be vaccinated against COVID-19 and be up-to-date with any boosters for which they might be eligible. Please upload your student’s vaccination card through the Magnus portal to verify that they are vaccinated and up-to-date. One of the most important measures each of us can take to protect ourselves and our community from severe COVID-19 related illness, is to get vaccinated against COVID-19. People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are at low risk of symptomatic or severe infection. Please contact healthservices@friendscentral.org with any questions.

Communication with Nurses
We look forward to getting to know your child(ren). If there is any information you would like to share with us or if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us (our contact info can be found on the right side of this page). Open communication will help us give your child the best care possible. Thank you!

COVID-19 Policies & Procedures

The following policies and procedures are in place for the start of the 2023-24 school year. The School reserves the right to alter these policies and procedures in accordance with local and national public health recommendations, which might shift over time due to new strains of COVID-19 and other factors.

Recommended Vaccinations

In accordance with CDC recommendations, Friends’ Central recommends that all students be vaccinated against COVID-19 and be up-to-date with any boosters for which they might be eligible. Please upload your student’s vaccination card through the Magnus portal to verify that they are vaccinated and up-to-date.

The CDC states that a person is up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines when they have received all doses in the primary series and all boosters recommended for them, when eligible. Vaccine recommendations are different depending on age, the vaccine first received, and time since last dose, as shown here.

Monitoring for Symptoms

Families, students, and employees should monitor themselves closely for symptoms. Anyone who feels unwell or is experiencing symptoms should stay home and test for COVID-19. Symptoms? Stay home! Click here for the list of symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19. If a student stays home while feeling unwell, we ask that you test your child to confirm that the illness is not COVID-19.

Exposure/Close Contact Procedure

Friends’ Central follows the CDC guidelines for quarantining after suspected or confirmed exposure to COVID-19 or if someone is considered a close contact. Please click here for that guidance. Families should be in touch with FCS Health Services for assistance navigating exposure or being a close contact.

Household Contact: Friends’ Central follows the CDC guidelines for a person who lives in a household with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. Please click here for that guidance. If up-to-date with vaccinations, the close contact:

Must watch for symptoms for 10 days
Wear a well-fitting mask at school indoors for 10 days except when eating
Test at home on Day 6 even if you don’t develop symptoms, as well as anytime from the date of exposure through Day 10, if symptomatic. (Day 1 is the day after you were last exposed)

The above guidance assumes that the person who is positive is able to isolate themselves per the CDC guidelines

There is no more remote learning. Students who are absent due to quarantine or isolation related to COVID-19 or any other illness should rest and recover. If they feel well enough to do work, they should follow along with assignments shared by the teacher (Lower School) or posted online (Middle and Upper School).

Positive Case Procedure

Friends’ Central follows the CDC guidelines for isolation after a person tests positive for COVID-19. Please click here for that guidance. Families should be in touch with FCS Health Services when a student tests positive.

Communicating a Positive Case with the Community
Lower School: Because students are with the same group of students all day, positive cases will be reported to families by the school nurse. At that point, the families will be notified if masking for 10 days is necessary or if further precautions need to be taken.

Middle & Upper School: Individual cases in Middle and Upper School will not be communicated home to families because accurate contact tracing is nearly impossible.

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