One of the problems facing parents of school-age children occurs when a child complains of not feeling well on a school day. We hope this information will provide some guidelines to help you make that decision.

COVID-19 Information: If you suspect your child has been exposed to COVID-19 or is exhibiting symptoms, please keep them home. For more information about COVID-19 symptoms, click here.

If your child has a "mild cold," but otherwise feels well, he/she may go to school. If he/she has a "heavy cold" with a deep or hacking cough, they should be kept home even if there isn't a fever.

If your child has a sore throat but no other symptoms, he/she may go to school. If there are white spots in the back of the throat or a fever, your child should be kept home. If there is a throat culture done, your child should be kept home until you know the results of the culture. A child with a positive culture should return to school only after he/she has been on antibiotics for 24-48 hours.

A fever is a sign that something is wrong. No child with a temperature 100 degrees or greater should be sent to school. Your child should not return to school until his/her temperature has been normal for 24 hours, without the use of medication.

If your child has a stomach ache that persists or or is severe enough to limit his activity, you should consult your doctor. If your child is vomiting, he/she should be kept home until you are sure food can be kept down. If your child has diarrhea, he/she should be kept home.

A rash may be the first symptom of many contagious childhood illness (such as chickenpox, scarlet fever, impetigo and many viral diseases).  Do not send a child with a rash to school unless your doctor says it is safe to do so.

If your child gets head lice, students may return to school after carefully following directions on specific shampoo for head lice (eg. RID, NIX or CLEAR). Check all other family members for lice and nits and treat if necessary. Continue to check all family members daily for the next two weeks following treatment. Upon returning, students must be checked by the nurse. Please notify the school nurse so that other students in the classroom can be checked.