WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME
To maintain a healthy learning environment for everyone, students who are ill should remain home, with proper supervision.
Students may return to school if the following are true:
- Fever (100.4 or above) has been gone for 24 hours, without the aid of fever-reducing medication (such as Tylenol, Acetaminophen, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Aleve, or Naproxen)
- Vomiting has been gone for 24 hours
- Diarrhea has been gone for 24 hours
- Antibiotics for contagious illnesses, such as strep throat and conjunctivitis (pink eye), prescribed by a healthcare provider, have been used for a full 24 hours (2 or more doses).
- The student is feeling better.
Viral Illness (such as COVID, Flu)
- Symptoms of COVID, the Flu, or other viral illness may include headaches, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, nausea, body aches, chills, fever, or fatigue.
- Specific viral testing is not required to determine if your child should stay home. Students may return to school if the following are true:
- Fever (100.4 or above) has been gone for 24 hours, without the aid of fever-reducing medication (such as Tylenol, Acetaminophen, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen, Aleve, or Naproxen)
- Vomiting has been gone for 24 hours
- Diarrhea has been gone for 24 hours
- The student is feeling better.
- Specific questions about viral testing, or concerns about specific illnesses, should be directed to your child’s primary care provider.
- Face masks are recommended for 10 days for COVID related illness.
- Rest, sleep, hydration and sometimes medications such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) will help with symptoms of viral illnesses. Children should get at least 8-10 hours of sleep each night and may require more when ill.
- Proper hand washing has been proven to be effective at preventing or limiting the spread of illness and infection. Information is readily available on-line about proper hand washing procedures.
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
- Red eyes can be a sign of conjunctivitis (pink eye), especially when associated with drainage, crustiness, itching or pain. Pink eye can be caused by either a virus or bacteria and is very contagious.
- Students must be cleared to return by a healthcare provider and must be on antibiotics for a full 24 hours (2 or more doses), if prescribed by the healthcare provider.
Rashes/Open Sores
- Students with any type of weeping rashes or open sores must be cleared to return by a health care provider.
- All open sores and weeping rashes must be covered until healed. For rashes near the mouth area, please use a facemask to cover the afflicted areas.
EXCUSED ABSENCES
Excused absences for medically related reasons, according to FSMA’s Family Handbook, include those listed below for which the required documentation has been submitted:
- Illness of a child.
- Scheduled appointments to a physical or mental healthcare provider, including a physician, dentist, orthodontist, or psychologist.
- Contagious diseases within the home of a student subject to the regulations of the Division of Public Health and Department of Health and Social Services.
- Medical diagnosis and/or treatment.
Documentation of the absence (regardless of how many days a student is absent) must be provided to the Main Office upon the student’s return to school and no later than the five school days after the absence. The documentation must be a written note or email (mainoffice.fsma@fsma.k12.de.us) from a parent/guardian or a doctor’s office. The absence will be unexcused until the documentation is received by the school.
INJURIES DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR
If your child experiences an injury during the school year which requires the use of crutches, braces, casting, or other means of limiting movement of the body, a doctor’s note will need to be provided to the Nurse upon return to school. This information will be shared with the primary teachers, as well as any necessary staff, to maintain the child’s safety. In order to return to regular activity in PE and at recess, a clearance letter must be provided to the Nurse.
Elevator Use
- Use of the Elevator is limited to students who have a letter from their doctor or qualified healthcare provider.
- The letter must indicate that the use of the elevator is necessary, the reason for use, the length of time the student will be expected to use the elevator and the physician/healthcare provider’s name and contact information.
- This letter must be delivered to the Nurse who will provide access to the elevator.
- Students who use the elevator without permission will be considered as “unauthorized presence in any school area” and the Family Handbook will be followed.
Concussions
If your child is diagnosed with a concussion during the school year, a letter from the treating doctor will need to be provided to the Nurse. This letter should contain any restrictions or limitations that are to be followed at school. Once your child is cleared by a doctor, a clearance letter must be provided to the Nurse to lift any restrictions or limitations for a student who has been diagnosed with a concussion.