Skip To Main Content

Too Sick for School

Attention Parents, Guardians & Caregivers: Do Not Send Ill Children to School!

With cold and flu season upon us, and while still in the midst of the COVID pandemic, it can be very difficult to determine when a child is too sick to go to school. When trying to decide, please use the guidelines below. This information is intended to be used as a guide but is not intended to diagnose. Always seek the advice of your health care provider.

  • As a general rule, you should keep your child home from school if they are too sick to comfortably participate in classroom and other school activities. By coming to school when they are not feeling well, your student could spread a contagious disease to other students and/or school staff. If your child is ill and has been in close-contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please reach out to your family practitioner for further direction.
  • If home from school due to illness, your student should not return until they are fever-free for 24-hours without fever-reducing medications and their symptoms are resolving. Additionally, please keep all emergency information up-to-date in the portal so we are able to reach you if your child becomes ill while at school. Feel free to contact your school nurse if you have questions or concerns.
  • COVID-19Special consideration should be given to all students with fever, shortness of breath and cough. These students should stay home until evaluated by a family practitioner and deemed non-contagious. 

  • Diarrhea - A student should be kept home unless the student is known to have diarrhea from a non-contagious condition. Students may return to school when symptoms resolve. 

  • Fever – A student should be kept home if they have a temperature at 100.4˚F or higher.  Students may return to school when signs and symptoms of illness have resolved and they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. 

  • Flu-like Symptoms - The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that people with influenza-like illness remain at home until at least 24-hours after they are free of fever (100°F [37.8°C]), or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. Symptoms of the flu include: fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue (tiredness), some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults. It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever.

  • Rash - A student should be kept at home if the rash is accompanied with a fever or behavioral change until a family practitioner has determined the rash/illness is not contagious.  

  • Vomiting - A student should be kept at home if there is active vomiting, two or more times during a 24-hour period unless vomiting is caused by a non-contagious condition. 

Should you have any questions and/or concerns about whether your child should return to school after an illness, please contact your school nurse. The school will not provide diagnostic services nor will they allow your child to spend the day in the health room. Likewise, do not expect the nurse to diagnose/treat injuries or illness which occur at home. In these instances, the nurse will contact you to provide appropriate care. 

*If students become ill or injured during the school day, they must report to the nurse’s office for evaluation. Students are not permitted to call home from cell phones for parents to pick them up.* 

In cases where the principal, counselor, or school nurse believes that a child's health or safety is threatened or is a threat to others, they will immediately contact the parent to refer to appropriate community resources. They may also refer to the home/school visitor for additional assistance. Click here for mental health resources.

School personnel are not permitted to transport students in their personal vehicles. In the event that a parent cannot be reached or if there is a medical emergency, the school may call an ambulance. All ambulance costs incurred are the responsibility of the family.   

Special Medical Services:

Special medical services may be handled on an individual basis by contacting the nurse. Parents are expected to provide special equipment.

flu