When to Keep Your Child Home from School
To support student health and reduce the spread of illness, please keep your child home from school if any of the following apply:
- Your child has had a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in the past 24 hours.
- Please keep your child home until they have been fever-free for 24 continuous hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.
- You believe your child may have a fever or may be sick.
- It is best to keep your child home until you feel confident they are well enough to participate in school activities.
- Your child has been diagnosed with a contagious illness and:
- has not taken prescribed medication for at least 24 hours, or
- has not yet been cleared by a medical provider to return to school.
- Your child has taken medication for 24 hours but still has a fever.
- Your child vomited the night before or the morning of school.
- Your child has diarrhea.
- Your child has stomach pain or cramping.
- Your child has constant nasal drainage that requires frequent wiping or blowing.
- Your child has frequent coughing during the day or night.
- Your child has more than one of the symptoms listed above.
Why Staying Home When Sick Matters
When children attend school while sick, they often feel uncomfortable and may have difficulty focusing on learning. Illness can also spread to other students and staff.
Preventing the Spread of Illness
- Frequent handwashing helps reduce the spread of illness. Please review how to wash hands properly with your child at home.
- For more information about preventing respiratory illnesses, please visit the CDC’s guidance on preventing respiratory viruses.
Questions & Reporting an Absence
- If you have questions, please contact the school nurse.
- Please remember to report your child’s absence to the school each day your child is home.