School nurses in Anne Arundel County Public Schools are employees of the Anne Arundel Health Department. And the department encourages parents to be informed about school health with their online "Parents Guide to School Health."

The site includes information on the nuts and bolts of child health, like what immunizations are required and when, in-school flu-mist vaccinations, vision and hearing screening, keeping your child safe from bullies, what students have to do to elf-administer medicine at school and more.

Following are some of the links:

• School Health ServicesWhen to Keep Child Home from School Because of Illness
• Diabetes Medication at School
• Head Lice Fact Sheet
• In-School Vision and Hearing Screenings
• Medication at School
• Parent's Guide
• Safe Backpacking
• School Health Nursing Staff

The Department of Health reports that during the 2010-2011 school year, school nurses tended to 689,146 health room visits and administered 143,590 medications to students.

There were also 22,314 vision screenings and 22,268 hearing screenings given to County public school students during the year, as well as 6,951 vision and 6,891 hearing screenings given to private school students.