Health Policies

Please send your children to school in good health.  Students often feel fine in the morning but may become ill as the day wears on.  A student will be sent home if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

1. A fever of 100.4 or greater

2. Nausea, Vomiting, and/or Diarrhea

3. Swollen tonsils

4. Red Throat, especially when accompanied by a fever

5.  Injury that requires a doctor's care ( examples: broken bones, deep wounds)

6.  Suspicious rashes

7.  Head Lice (Adults and/or nits present)

If you receive a call from the office telling you your child is ill, please pick them up as soon as possible.  They are usually much more comfortable at home and we have limited space in our nurse's office.  It is also important that you have emergency contacts on file in the office in the event that we are unable to reach you by telephone. 

Personal Hygiene 

HEAD LICE

If you find that your child has lice, please call the school to let them know. You need to keep them home to treat and they will need to stay home from school until they are nit free. Once you no longer find nits, the child can return to school and is required to come straight to the office to be checked and declared nit free to return to class.

Please refer to the additional information below.

Head lice letter

Head lice link

COVID, Cold, Flu Season

This site has good information to help answer your questions during this cold, flu and COVID season:

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/flu-vs-cold.html

The advice to students, families, and staff is to:

• Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.

• Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue to cover coughs and sneezes, then dispose of the tissue. When a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into your elbow.

• Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects. Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Find additional CDC resources on how to clean and disinfect schools.

• Wash hands for 20 seconds. Washing hands often under clean, running water can help prevent the spread of germs. For more guidance see the CDC: When and How to Wash Your Hands. If you cannot wash your hands, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60-95% alcohol.

It is recommended that you keep your child home from school when they have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea. These are indicators that your child is contagious and should minimize contact with others. 

Class day or Couch day: Determining your child’s school absence due to illness

By Daily Herald

By Shaylie Meyer

APS Health Services Supervisor

With the winter cold and flu season imminent, you often hear advice for how to keep your family healthy. Unfortunately, even the most diligent hand-washers may become ill with cold or flu symptoms at some point, and you’ll be faced with the age-old question: when is it necessary to keep your child home from school?

Children are more likely than adults to get sick and spread germs and they experience longer recovery times, and yet, parents cannot discount the importance of their child’s school attendance.

It is recommended that you keep your child home when they have a fever, vomiting or diarrhea. These are indicators that your child is contagious and should minimize contact with others. Your child may return to school after they are symptom-free for a 24-hour period without the use of medications.

Masking symptoms with medications exposes others to illness and may even prolong the time your child is sick. Illnesses are generally the most contagious during the first few days. Besides the obvious indications of fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, it may be difficult to decipher your child’s symptoms to determine if they should attend school or stay home.

If your child experiences unusual tiredness with body aches, uncontrolled coughing, an unexplained rash, or a severe sore throat, they should stay home to allow for rest and a speedy recovery before they return to school.

As a caregiver to your young learner, you are the best judge of their needs. Children who are too ill to participate in learning activities in school are better assisted by taking a day or so to recoup so they may return to their classrooms healthy and ready to learn.

In the event you are having trouble deciphering your child’s illness and their ability to attend school, please call the school nurse. The nurse can be an excellent resource in determining if your child’s symptoms warrant time at home to recover. Also, when reporting your child’s absence, please detail the illness symptoms so the nurse can successfully track prevalent trends.

Help your child to recognize the symptoms of illness and set a good example by staying home and caring for yourself when you are ill. Minimizing the spread of illness protects others who may have a difficult time battling the cold or flu. Additionally, it may be helpful to plan ahead to determine how you will care for your child when they are too sick to attend school. By doing so, you will alleviate the stress of finding a caretaker at the last minute.

And remember — thorough handwashing is the most effective prevention from spreading germs. Stay healthy!

Here is some great information about the importance of Hand washing, check it out!

https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/index.html