Balancing School Attendance and Illness

Dear Parent/s or Guardian: 

Regular school attendance is important for students to maintain academic momentum and achieve the learning goals for each grade level. However, when students are genuinely ill the amount of learning that they can accomplish is greatly diminished and it is better for the student to stay home and recuperate before returning to the regular daily activity of schoolwork. We are seeing an increase in flu, COVID, and RSV cases throughout the district. To prevent widespread illness in your child’s school, please use the following guidelines to determine whether or not to send your child to school.

Please do not send your child to school if they have any of these symptoms:

  • Fever of 100.0 degrees or greater. 

    • Please do not medicate your child prior to attending school to reduce their fever. Your child can return to school when they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

  • Vomiting 

  • Diarrhea

  • Chills

  • General malaise or feelings of fatigue, weakness or muscle aches

  • Frequent congested (wet) or croupy cough

To help prevent infections and viruses, re-enforce your child's good hygiene habits:

  • Wash hands frequently

  • Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth 

  • Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick

If your child has any episodes of vomiting, diarrhea, or fever keep your child at home. Even if they are feeling better and want to attend class, do not send the student to school until symptoms of illness are gone. Keeping a sick child at home will minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom. Students need to be healthy and feeling well in order to learn and achieve at their full potential. 

If you have any questions, please contact the nurse for your child’s school.

Sincerely,

Amanda Davis

Nurse Leader