2023 Illness Protocol

My child is sick - Do they need to stay home?

If the student is able to be productive and happy in the classroom without the aid of medication, they are welcome to attend. However, to keep our whole school population well, we ask that you do not send your child if they have common symptoms, that usual indicate a communicable sickness. Therefore, if your child has the following symptoms please keep them home and call the office. For more in depth understanding of our illness protocols please refer to page 17 in the 2023 family handbook.

  • fever (over 99.9)

  • Cough (from sickness not allergies)

  • excessive runny nose

  • Sore throat

  • Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)

If your child is showing certain symptoms, we may ask that you have them do a rapid COVID Ag test.

WHAT HAPPENS IF my child is sick at school.

When a student presents with any symptoms or fever that disrupts the student from normal work, we will call the parents to have the child picked up. In such a case, the child may be required to rapid test at home (the school will provide the tests if needed) before returning, but in all cases they will need to remain out until they are 24hrs symptom free.

RAPID Ag TESTing kits

The school will never administer any COVID test to a student without the parent’s prior knowledge and approval every time.

COVID Isolation and exposure guidance 

Exposure

  • All exposed individuals may continue to attend programming as long as they remain asymptomatic. Those who can mask should do so until Day 10, and it is recommended that they test on Day 6 of exposure. If symptoms develop, follow the guidance for symptomatic individuals, below.

Positive test

  • Children and staff who test positive must isolate for at least 5 days. If they are asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving and they have been fever free without the use of fever-reducing medicine for 24 hours, they may return to programming after Day 5 and should wear a high-quality mask through Day 10:

    • If the individual is able to mask, they must do so through Day 10. However, If the individual has a negative test on Day 5 or later, they do not need to mask.

Symptomatic

  • Symptomatic individuals can remain in their school or program if they have mild symptoms, are tested immediately onsite, and that test is negative. Best practice would also include wearing a mask, if possible, until symptoms are fully resolved. For symptomatic individuals, DPH recommends a second test within 48 hours if the initial test is negative.

For exposure Day 0 is first day of exposure.

For isolation Day 0 is the first day of symptoms OR the day the positive test was taken, whichever is earlier.

For easy understanding this guidance has been edited, we encourage you to review and become familiar with the full unedited guidance which can be found here.

Current list of COVID-19 Symptoms

  • Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

  • New loss of taste or smell

  • Muscle aches or body aches

  • Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)

Occasionally and only under certain circumstances, we can offer the option to test the child at school with the parent’s knowledge and approval for the child to remain in school.