Health-related Attendance Guidelines

Each day many families are faced with a decision: should they keep their sick child home or send them to school?  Often the way a child looks and acts can make the decision an obvious one. Keeping your sick child home allows your child the opportunity to rest and recover and prevents the spread of illness in the school community. Both are important items to take into account when determining whether or not your child should attend school.

In the event that your student is absent from school due to illness, please contact your school to report both the absence and specific illness information. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your School Nurse.

Quick rules for when to keep your child at home

• Fever greater than 100° F
  • A child should remain at home with a fever greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The child may return to school after they have been fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine such as Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, or a cough/cold medicine containing ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
• Vomiting/ Diarrhea
  • A child with diarrhea and/or vomiting should stay at home and return to school only after being symptom-free for 24 hours. In rare cases, your School Nurse may allow a child to return to school prior than the 24 hour period due to explained causes of the vomiting/diarrhea.
• Rash
  • Common infectious diseases with rashes are most contagious in the early stages. A child with a suspicious rash should return to school only after a healthcare provider has made a diagnosis and authorized the child’s return to school with a communication to the school.
• Strep throat or strep infections of any kind, ringworm, bacterial conjunctivitis, or impetigo
  • These are all contagious infections and must be treated with medication provided by a healthcare provider for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Please ensure that your healthcare provider sends information to your school health office and that any continued medication needs are communicated to your school health office.
• Head Lice
  • A parent/guardian must follow up with the School Nurse prior to returning to school.
• Respiratory Virus / Cold / Flu / COVID-19 Symptoms
  • If you have new symptoms of a respiratory virus, such as a fever, sore throat, cough or a runny or stuffy nose, you should stay home and stay away from others in your household.
  • Please see the State of Massachusetts' specific guidelines regarding respiratory viruses:
    • https://www.mass.gov/info-details/staying-home-to-prevent-the-spread-of-respiratory-viruses