Health Exclusion Policies

• • Any student who is prescribed an antibiotic by their pediatrician must be on the antibiotic for 24 hours before returning to school with the exception of strep throat.

  • Students with acute respiratory illnesses who exhibit a fever of 100F and/or runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, and/or cough must remain home until fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication. If your child has profuse nasal discharge or an uncontrollable cough your child must remain at home until the condition improves regardless of fever status.  

  • Students who are diagnosed with Strep throat may return 12 hours after beginning antibiotics and if they are feeling improvement and are fever free without the use of fever reducing medication.

  • Influenza/flu- Sudents must be fever free without the use of fever reducing medication. If your child has profuse nasal discharge or an uncontrollable cough your child must remain at home until the condition improves regardless of fever status. 

  • Mononucleosis- Students must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. Your student's doctor may want to write parameters to assist them with a successful return to school . Students will be medically excused from PE and sports until a clearance note has been received from the doctor. 

  • Any child having a fever of 100° is required to leave school or remain home. A child may not return until he/she has been fever free for 24 hours without medication.  

  • Any child who vomits 2 or more times within 24 hours is required to leave school or remain home. A child must be free from vomiting for 24 hours and tolerating a normal diet before returning to school.  

  • Any child who had two or more loose stools is required to leave school or remain home. A child must be diarrhea-free for 24 hours before returning to school. If your child has been diagnosed with Ecoli or Shigella they must have two negative stool cultures before returning to school. 

  • If your child contracts conjunctivitis (pink eye) with drainage they must remain home until they are evaluated by a doctor. Allergic conjunctivitis without drain or with only watery drainage does not not need an MD follow up.

  • If your child contracts Coxsackievirus/Hand Food and Mouth they must remain home until they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and until blisters are dry. 

• • If it becomes necessary for your child to be picked up due to illness, we appreciate a prompt response. We will expect you within one hour; otherwise, the designated emergency contact will be called.

  • If your child is not feeling well, DO NOT send them to school. An ill child may be unhappy and not able to participate in the classroom activities. In addition, by sending an ill child to school you are impacting the health of the staff and the other children in the classroom. 

• Please note:  In order for a student to participate in an after-school activity or evening function, the student must be in attendance during the school day.

• This includes all co-curricular activities, practices, athletic events, competitions, performances, or any other school-sponsored activities.

• • If your child contracts head lice, he/she must be treated and checked by the school nurse prior to returning to school. Please see our district head lice policy at https://www.straussesmay.com/seportal/Public/DistrictPolicy.aspx?policyid=8454&id=dba5768ac0164fb49fb5accc8a413db8

  • Rashes- 

Herpes gladiatroum (wrestlers herpes)- All lesions must be scabbed over. Students must be free of lymph node swelling in the involved area and no new lesions should be forming. 

Impetigo- lesions must be adequately covered and students must be in treatment before returning to school. 

MRSA and non MRSA staph and strep skin infections- must be excluded if lesions can not be adequately covered. For sports students must remain benched unless drainage can be contained by bandage.

Tinea capitis or corporis- Until treatment has started.

• • Vaccine Preventable Illnesses-

Mumps- must remain home for 5 days after the onset of parotid swelling.

Measles- must remain home for 6 days after onset of rash

Pertussis- must remain home until 5 days of appropriate antibiotic therapy has been completed. If student is untreated they must remain home for 21 days from cough onset. 

Varicella/chicken pox- Until all lesions have dried and crusted over usually 6 days after onset of rash.

• Head injury- if your student experiences an injury to their head that results in concussion signs or symptoms they should be evaluated by a doctor. A written letter will be required to return to school. Your student's doctor may want to write parameters to assist them with a successful return to school. Once cleared by their doctor, student athletes must complete a progressive return to play before they can return to sports. 

Fever is not the only sign of contagious illness in a student. Students who exhibit signs of illness without fever will also benefit from a day of rest and recovery. 

• • Always call or notify the school if your child is going to be absent. 

  • When your child returns to school after being absent the parent must send a signed note explaining the reason for the absence.  For illness greater than five school days a physician note, clearing student to return to school is required. 

  • Please do not medicate your child with a fever or pain reliever (ie: Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, etc…) prior to sending them to school. These medications tend to wear off mid-day and cause a sudden increase in temperature and/or discomfort. If your child has the beginning of a fever or pain/sore throat please keep them home. 

• If a student is sent home ill from school they may not return to school to participate in an after-school activity or evening function.