When to Keep Your Child  Home

Students who are sick are unable to learn and, in addition, may inadvertently spread sickness among others. Due to the close proximity of both students and staff in school buildings, the potential for the rapid spread of infection represents an overriding public health concern.

Occasions when students need to be excluded from school include the following:

• Students with temperatures of 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or above should stay home and remain home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without medication.

• Students with persistent vomiting and/or diarrhea should stay home and should return to school only after being symptom‐free for 24 hours. 

 The following is a list of some common conditions we see in schools and the period of time your child should remain at home:

• Strep Throat or Tonsillitis: 24 hours from the initiation of appropriate therapy.

• Bacterial Infections: 24 hours from the institution of appropriate antimicrobial therapy and/or judged non-infectious by the School Nurse or the student’s Health Care Provider.

• Contagious Conjunctivitis “Pink eye”:  24 hours from the institution of appropriate therapy and/or judged non-infectious by the School Nurse or student’s Health Care Provider.

• Impetigo: 24 hours from the institution of appropriate therapy and/or judged non-infectious by the School Nurse or Health Care Provider.

• Ringworm: Until judged non-infectious by the School Nurse or student’s Health Care Provider.

• Lice:  Click the Link: Lice Prevention & Treatment

• Respiratory illnesses must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. If your child has a history of asthma, your Health Care Provider should advise you about treatment. Even children without asthma have difficulty focusing on learning when they have a persistent cough.

In case of contagious illnesses (e.g. chicken pox, flu, pertussis, impetigo, conjunctivitis, lice) please contact the school nurse so that we can monitor for other cases and advise about the student's return to school.

PLEASE HELP OUR SCHOOL LIMIT THE SPREAD OF GERMS BY KEEPING SICK CHILDREN HOME, AND ALSO REINFORCING HAND WASHING AND PROPER COUGH ETIQUETTE.