Sick Child Protocols

Students must remain home or be dismissed for any of the following reasons:

• Fever of 100 Degrees Fahrenheit or higher – Students need to be fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol or Motrin) before returning to school. Fever-reducing medicine may cover-up a fever, and the fever could return when the medicine wears off. Your child should remain home for 24 hours after the fever has passed.

• Vomiting or Diarrhea – Student may return to school 12-24 hours after last episode at the School Nurse’s discretion.

• Uncontrollable Cough 

• Contagious Bacterial Infection (such as strep throat, conjunctivitis, impetigo, etc.) – Students need to be on antibiotics for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school.

• Suspicious Rash – Student may return to school with written documentation from healthcare provider certifying that the rash is not contagious.

• Serious Illness or Injury

• Untreated lice infestation

Please note that these are general guidelines and the school nurse reserves the right to dismiss students who, in the nurse's professional opinion, are possibly contagious or too ill/injured to be in school.

Children with pain should be taken seriously, especially in young children. Earaches, toothaches, and headaches should be evaluated by a doctor.

The best way to protect against contagious diseases is to practice sound hygiene and respiratory etiquette:

• Wash your hands frequently. Most infections are spread by hands, so it is important to wash them frequently with soap and water for about 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol may be used.

• Cough and sneeze into a tissue and dispose of your tissue immediately. If you have no tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow, not into your bare hand.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do not share water bottles or silverware. Do not leave your toothbrush lying around on the bathroom sink.