🏫 News from the Nurse:

As we work together to keep our school community healthy, please review these important reminders about when students should stay home and how we can help prevent the spread of viral illnesses.

When Should Your Child Stay Home?

Please keep your child home from school when they are experiencing symptoms that may make it difficult to participate in school or could spread illness to others.

Keep your child home if they have:

• A fever (100.4 or greater) 

• Vomiting or diarrhea.

• A contagious illness and have not yet met the recommended return-to-school guidelines.

When in doubt, contact your child's healthcare provider or the school nurse for guidance. 

Help Stop the Spread of Viral Illness

Simple habits make a big difference!

🧼 Wash your hands often.
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the restroom, before eating, after coughing or sneezing, and when hands are visibly dirty. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

🤧 Cover coughs and sneezes.
Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow—not your hands. Throw used tissues away and wash your hands afterward.

🍎 Do not share food.
Avoid sharing snacks, utensils, or food with classmates and friends. Germs can spread through saliva and contaminated hands or objects.

🥤 Do not share drinks.
Students should not share water bottles, cups, straws, or other drinking containers.

👐 Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Germs can enter the body through these areas after getting onto your hands.

💉Consider routine vaccinations for common illnesses like Flu and Covid.

Common Viral Illnesses

Viral illnesses that may occur among school-aged children include:

• Influenza (flu) – May cause fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, and fatigue.

• COVID-19 – Can cause cough, sore throat, congestion, fever, fatigue, headache, and other symptoms.

• Common cold viruses – Often cause runny or stuffy nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, and mild fatigue.

• Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) – Commonly causes fever, sore throat, mouth sores, and a rash or small blisters on the hands and feet.

• Mononucleosis (mono) – Often causes significant fatigue, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and sometimes fever.

Together, We Can Keep Our School Community Healthy

Please encourage children to practice good hand hygiene, cover coughs and sneezes, avoid sharing food and drinks, and stay home when they are sick.

Thank you for helping us protect our students, staff, and families!

School Nursing Staff