Illness & Injury
While we hope that your child remains healthy, there may be a time when they become ill or injured during the school day. I have provided some guidance that will help us work together to keep students safe and healthy.
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
It is extremely important to keep all phone numbers and addresses up-to-date with the registrar. Remember, the school can only release your student(s) to the people you have listed.
ATTENDANCE & ACTIVITY RESTRICTIONS
Whenever your student is absent from school, please provide written notice upon their return (including all of the dates he/she was absent). Healthcare appointments MUST be supported by a note from the provider of service.
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When returning to school following after having been seen for illness/injury, please include any activity restrictions. The nurse is not able to excuse a student from PE/Athletics without a restrictions note. For their safety, students should not use crutches, wheelchair or other assistive devices without physician authorization.
ILLNESS
Students who are ill can easily spread germs to their schoolmates and staff. If your child is ill, please keep him/her home. Students cannot attend school unless fever-free (temperature less than 100°F) for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication*. Students with a temperature of 100° or higher (orally) will be sent home.
Please refer to the RRISD Health Services website for more information regarding Communicable Disease and Prevention and learn more about how we all play a vital role in preventing the transmission of illnesses in the school setting.
Picking up a child early due to illness or injury:
When a student presents to the school clinic, the nurse will perform an assessment which will help determine if the signs/symptoms warrant exclusion from school and/or medical evaluation. Sometimes the plan of care is clear and other times, he parent/guardian may be contacted to determine next steps.
The parent/guardian will be contacted if the student needs to be sent home.
The nurse may only "excuse" an absence after having performed an assessment and determining that child should be sent home from school for health/safety reasons.
*Medications that contain the following ingredients are considered "fever reducing medications" and can mask illness: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin (as a side note, aspirin should not be given to those under age 18, because of risk of Reye Syndrome)