Parent Handbook

Parents should notify the school nurse prior to the beginning of the school year if their child has a health concern like asthma, diabetes, or seizures. Early notification will initialize an individualized health care plan that will include physician's orders for any health procedure that may need to be done during the school day.

Sleep, fluids, regular exercise, proper nutrition, family time, and good personal hygiene, including frequent hand washing, are effective ways to keep everyone in the family healthy.

When should I keep my child home from school?

• Fever - greater than 100.4 degrees

• Cough

• Rash

• Sore throat/swollen glands

• Shortness of breath

• Runny nose or congestion

• Diarrhea

• Nausea or vomiting

• Fatigue

• Headache

• Muscle Pain

• Lack of appetite

• Loss of taste or smell

• Red, itchy, watery eyes

• Persistent earache

What happens if my child is sent home from school?

A student will be sent home with any of the following:

• Temperature of 100.4 degrees or more

• Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea

• Symptoms related to possible communicable disease (skin rashes, redness of eyes, swollen glands, etc.)

• Excessive drainage from eyes, ears, persistent earache, constant cough, or painful sore throat accompanied by enlarged lymph nodes

• Students with (or having the potential to transmit) an acute infectious disease or parasite

• Head lice and/or nits

If a student is sent home from school due to illness, the student must remain at home for the full school day following the day dismissed. In addition, the student must be symptom-free without administration of any fever-reducing medications or other medications to relieve symptoms for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

Students returning to school after injury, including concussion and/or surgery with crutches, casts, or slings, should present a physician release to return to school along with a written request for any necessary modifications or accommodations.

Please discuss any questions regarding when to return to school with the school nurse and/or health services.

Head Lice: It is the expectation of Springfield Public Schools that students excluded for head lice/nits should be treated immediately and return promptly back to school. Students should not stay home for an extended period related to head lice. When initially excluding a student for head lice, the school nurse or designee will notify the parent/guardian to pick up the child and will provide treatment instructions to the parent/guardian. The student may return to school after treatment and nit removal. This could be the same day as exclusion. Upon returning to school, the school nurse or designee will check the student's hair before the student can return to class. If lice or nits are still present, the school nurse or designee will send the student home for further treatment.

Medications: Per district policy, no medications should be brought to school by students. If your child needs to take medication while at school, a parent will need to meet with the school nurse to complete the necessary paperwork.