Health & Safety

Communicable Diseases

The following regulations for the duration of exclusion from school will be strictly

enforced. No child, absent or excluded from class by reason of one of the diseases listed below, shall return to school before the specified time has expired. This regulation refers to the following:

• Chicken Pox/Shingles - 6 days from last crop of vesicles or when lesions are dry

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye) - after initial dose of antibiotic in both eyes

• German Measles - 4 days from onset or when rash is gone; temperature is normal

• Measles - 4 days from onset rash

• Mumps - 9 days from onset or after swelling is gone

• Scarlet Fever - 7 days from onset or 1 day after appropriate antibiotics

• Whooping Cough - 4 weeks from onset or 7 days after antibiotics

A doctor’s release is required before a child returns to school in cases of: Scabies, Impetigo, and prolonged absence due to injury or illness.

Illness / Injury

If a student becomes ill, he/she should stay home until fully recovered. Please do not send your child to school if any of the following symptoms are present:

• Temperature of 100 degrees or higher

• Vomiting: The student should be able to eat without vomiting for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school

• Diarrhea

• Severe coughing

• Suspicious skin rash

• Influenza-like Illness: Any student exhibiting signs and symptoms of influenza will be sent home from school. This includes having a temperature higher than 100°F, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue.

If your child complains of headache, stomach ache, sore throat, etc. before coming to school, please check his/her temperature. If your child has a fever of 100 degrees or more, DO NOT send the child to school. If your child becomes ill in school, we will decide if he or she should be sent home. If your child is too ill to stay in school or if an injury is serious enough, a parent/guardian or emergency contact will be contacted to come to the school office to take your child home or for further medical care.

Return to School After Illness/Injury

• A doctor’s release is required before a student returns to school in cases of prolonged absence due to injury or illness. Please consult with your child’s school nurse before your child returns to school after a prolonged illness or injury that has required medical care.

• Keep your child home until his or her fever is below 100 degrees F for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication. Returning to school too soon may slow the recovery process and expose others unnecessarily to contagious illness.

• Complex situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis in conjunction with the parent, school administrator, school nurse, student’s health care provider, and the chief school physician.

Return to School after Communicable Disease

No child, absent or excluded from school by reason of one of the diseases listed below, shall return to school before the specified time has expired.

• Chicken Pox/Shingles- 5 days from appearance of first crop of vesicles or when lesions are dry and crusted over. (Shingles- exclude only if rash is weeping and cannot be covered)

• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)- 24 hours after initiation of treatment

• German Measles- 7 days after onset of rash

• Hand-Foot-Mouth disease- 1 week after onset of illness, until fever free, oral ulcers healed, lesions are dry

• Measles- 5 days from onset of rash

• Mumps- 5 days after onset of swelling

• Norovirus- No vomiting/diarrhea for 48 hours

• Pertussis- After 5 days of appropriate antibiotic therapy

• Scarlet Fever- 7 days from onset or 24 hours after initiation of appropriate antibiotics

• Strep Throat- 24 hours after initiation of appropriate antibiotics

Visitors

To gain access to the building, ring the buzzer located at the front entrance to our school. All guests MUST report to the school office and sign-in. A guest badge will be supplied after signing in and showing a valid ID, which will be kept in the office until you leave the building. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES may a parent visit a classroom without proper clearances, signing in, and receiving permission from the office.

Safe2Say 1-844-SAF2SAY (723-2729)

Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The program teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late. With Safe2Say Something, it’s easy and confidential to report safety concerns to help prevent violence and tragedies.

Here’s how it works:

1. Submit an anonymous tip report through the Safe2SaySomething system

2. Crisis center reviews, assesses and processes all submissions

3. Crisis center sends all submissions to school administration and/or law enforcement  for intervention.

4. If needed, crisis center may contact tipster anonymously through the app

Visit the website for more information: 

https://www.safe2saypa.org/what-is-safe2say-something/

A.L.I.C.E. Certified School

Amber Kraft, Love Henegan, Certified ALICE Trainers

As an ALICE certified school, our staff and students have been trained to take certain measures to protect themselves in the event of a school shooting. To learn more about what it means to be an ALICE school, click here for our parent letter.

Evacuation, Fire & Lockdown Drills

Various drills will be held once a month throughout the school year. These drills are mandated by state law and are important to the safety and welfare of all people in the building. Whenever a drill is conducted, a notice will be sent home electronically so parents can engage with their children about the drill.

Drug-free

The Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act requires that the workplace be totally free of illegal use of drugs and requires that we issue the following statement to you: No one is allowed to use, make, sell, distribute or have in their possession any illegal drugs. Any violation of the Act will lead to severe disciplinary action.

Threat Assessment

The threat assessment team shall document, assess and respond to reports received regarding students whose behavior may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities, the community or others.

The threat assessment team shall assist in assessing and responding to reports that are received through the Safe2Say Something Program identifying students who may be a threat to themselves or others.

The threat assessment team shall assist in assessing and responding to reports of students exhibiting self-harm or suicide risk factors or warning signs, as identified in accordance with applicable law and Board policy.

When the threat assessment team has made a preliminary determination that a student’s reported behavior may indicate a threat to the safety of the student, other students, school employees, school facilities, the community or others, the team shall immediately take the following steps:

1. Notify the Chief Executive Officer or designee of the reported threat;

2. Notify the building principal of the reported threat, who shall notify the student’s parent/guardian of the reported threat.

When a reported student’s behavior indicates that there may be an imminent threat to the safety of the student or others, or an emergency situation, a threat assessment team member shall take immediate action, which may include promptly reporting to the appropriate law enforcement agency and school administration.

Where a threat assessment team member has reasonable cause to suspect that a reported situation indicates that a student may be a victim of child abuse, the member shall make a report of suspected child abuse in accordance with law and Board policy.