When to keep a child home with illness

Usually, the best place for a student is in school, but there are times when keeping children home to rest or calling for an appointment with your health care provider is recommended.

 
Please keep your child home and/or contact your child’s doctor for: 

• Fever greater than 100.3°/37,9°C (taken by mouth)
• Two or more episodes of vomiting and/or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Severe sore throat and feeling ill, especially after exposure to strep throat infection
• Honey-crusted sores around the nose or mouth, or other body parts
• A new rash on any body part
• A bad cold with a very runny nose producing copious amounts of green or yellow mucous
• Severe ear pain
• Severe headaches
• Head lice
• The child is fatigued and not able to keep up with the program

Should your child fall ill during the school day, we will contact you to arrange their pickup.

Our facilities are not designed to care for sick children for extended periods. It's important to have a plan for prompt pickup if your child becomes ill at school.

Should we be unable to reach you, your emergency contacts will be called. Please confirm they are aware of their role and can retrieve your child in a timely manner.

Specific illness-related measures 

• If your child develops any COVID-19 -related symptoms at home, such as runny nose, cough, sore throat, headache, nausea, or fatigue, please test your child at home for COVID-19 and let the school nurse know your child has been tested. Tests are available in school. 
• If your child develops a sore throat and has red tonsils with white patches, you may consider having your child tested for strep throat before returning to school. 
• If your child has a fever, please do not give them medicine like Tylenol or Advil and send them to school. Your child may spread the germs to other children or teachers.
• A medical provider must clear any new skin rashes before returning to school. 

Further guidance

• Please keep children home for 24 hours after the fever ends, and they have completed 24 hours of medication if prescribed by your health care provider. 
• If you are keeping your child at home for more than three days, please see your child's healthcare provider and send us a clearance note before your child returns to school.
• If your child is not fit enough to attend school in the morning, please keep them at home all day.
• Should your child, for medical reasons, not be able to participate in PE, please have your treating doctor write a note that the student is not allowed to engage in athletic activities. We will also need a written clearance when the student can return to PE.