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Vermont Health Connect

COVID UPDATES

You can go back to your normal activities after at least one day (24 hours) if:

Your symptoms are getting better overall

and

You have not had a fever for at least 24 hours (and are not using fever-reducing medicines).

After returning to normal activities, take extra prevention steps for the next 5 days.

Any of these prevention steps can help limit the spread of respiratory viruses. The more steps you take, the lower your risk of getting others sick.

Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer, cover your coughs and sneezes, and clean and disinfect surfaces as much as possible.
Keep physical distance with other people as much as possible.
Improve air quality. Take additional steps for cleaner air such as bringing in fresh outside air, using an air filter, or gathering outdoors.
Wear a mask. Look for a well-fitting, high-quality mask, or a disposable mask under a cloth mask.
Consider testing for COVID-19. Testing can help you decide if you need to take more steps to protect yourself and others. Even if you test negative for COVID-19, if you are sick with another respiratory virus you can still spread it to others.

Is My Child Too Ill To Attend School?

Parents are often confronted with this decision when their child complains of not feeling well. The guidelines below may be helpful. It will not cover every medical condition and does not take the place of seeking medical attention. Please consult your doctor for specific medical advice.

Fever - 100.4 degrees or higher - A fever is a sign of illness. A child with a temperature of 100 .4 degrees or higher should not attend school. The child should be free of fever (without the aid of Tylenol or Motrin) for 24 hours before returning to school.

Sore Throat/Colds/Cough - Minor cold symptoms are common and usually don't interfere with school attendance. A persistent, frequent cough and/or constant nasal drainage may affect your child's performance at school, and he/she may be more comfortable at home.

Rash - A rash may cover the entire body or only one area. A child that has a rash that is draining, has open areas or is causing the child to itch excessively should not attend school. A rash accompanied with other symptoms such as: a fever, sore throat, irritability, vomiting, etc. should not attend school.

Vomiting/Diarrhea - A child who has vomited should wait 24 hours and be able to retain solid foods before returning to school. A child who is having frequent diarrhea stools should not attend school. If there is cramping/abdominal pain with diarrhea, the student may be more comfortable at home.

Eyes – A child who wakes up with their eyes "glued" together may have "pink eye" or conjunctivitis. Other symptoms are redness (or pink) of the eye, gritty feeling in the eyes, itching and discharge of the eye. We are unable to determine here at school whether it is viral or bacterial pinkeye or even if it is contagious or non-contagious. This must be done by a doctor. Please keep in mind that "pink eye" is highly contagious and we need to work together to prevent an entire classroom from exposure.

Every student should have health insurance. The nurse can provide information to students and parents/guardians on how children can obtain insurance and receive the physical, dental, and mental health care necessary during school. The school maintains confidential health records for all students based on health forms completed by parents/guardians every year.

Need Health Insurance? Visit www.VermontHealthConnect.gov or call 1-855-899-9600

The school nurse hopes to form a partnership with parents and students to help make these elementary school years successful. I encourage all to make healthy life choices and offer a variety of up to date and reliable health information and skills such as stress/anger management, medication management, nutritional education, and screenings to your child. I want to collaborate with your child's physician to form a relationship with him or her.

I provide health care, health information and emotional support during your student's school year. Each young person is unique and I have the opportunity to get to know your child during their years at GES. My goal is to help students stay healthy so they can access their education.

Every student should have a yearly updated Medical Health Information form completed by parent/guardian at the beginning of each school year. We do have some over the counter medications in the health office such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. If you would like these to be administered at school if needed please sign the medication permission section on the yearly Medical Health Information.

This form will be sent home with your child at the beginning of each school year. It will be kept on file in the health office. You can also call to request forms or print them from the Health Forms tab on the side menu.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the State Department of Public Health recommends YEARLY physicals for ALL children in K - 12. Well care visits focus on age-specific screenings, prevention, and the overall physical, social, and emotional health and well-being of children and adolescents. Our school district supports this recommendation. For more information, please don't hesistate to contact me.

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model

A coordinated framework promoting alignment, integration, and collaboration between health and education in order to achieve improved cognitive, physical, social and emotional development.
For more information visit the WSCC website.