When to Keep Your Child Home

Dear Parents and Guardians,

It’s difficult to believe that the 2024-2025 school year will be coming to a close in a little over two months from now, however, there are still common illnesses spread through close contact with an infected person. With that in mind I’d like to remind you of the documents on our school website about “When to Keep Your Child Home” and “The Flu: A Guide for Parents.” See the details below and keep your child home if they exhibit any of those symptoms, as well as the following:

  • Flu/Flu-like Symptoms

  • Newly Developed Rash (especially if it’s associated with other symptoms/fever)

  • Swollen glands

  • Open draining skin sores (especially those around the nose and mouth that burst and form a golden-brown crust).

Please also instruct your child on methods to promote general health and safety:

  • Frequent hand washing (for 20 seconds at a time/the length of the “Happy Birthday” song).

  • Cover coughs and sneezes

  • Get plenty of sleep (turn electronic devices off 1 to 2 hours before going to bed, allow yourself enough time to sleep according to your age. It is recommended that children ages 8 to 12 get 9 to 12 hours of sleep per night).

  • Drink plenty of water

  • Eat nutritious meals/snacks (include: fruits, vegetables, meats, grains. Decrease sugar intake)

  • Exercise/Physical Activity

When to Keep Your Child Home

Many parents ask, "When is my child sick enough to stay home from school?"

This is not always an easy question to answer! We hope that these tips can help!

A child who is sick will not be able to perform well in school and is likely to spread his/her illness to other children and staff. We suggest making a plan for childcare ahead of time so your child has a comforting place to stay if he/she is ill.

Best practices, as defined by the Oneida County Health Department and the NYS Department of Health, recommend that you should not send your child to school if he/she has had:

  • Fever in the past 24 hours

  • Vomiting in the past 24 hours

  • Diarrhea in the past 24 hours

  • Chills

  • Sore throat

  • Strep throat (must have been taking an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school)

  • Bad cold with a very runny nose or bad cough, especially if it has kept the child awake at night

  • Head lice (until your child has been treated according to the nurse or doctor's instructions)

If your child becomes ill at school and his/her teacher or school nurse feels he/she is too sick and is contagious to other children, you will be notified to come and pick him/her up from school. It is essential that your child's teacher have a phone number where you can be contacted during the day and an emergency number in the event you cannot be reached.

Please be sure that arrangements can be made to transport your child home from school and that childcare is available in case of illness. If your daytime or emergency phone number changes during the year, please notify your child's teacher immediately.

As always, please call the School Health Office if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks for your time and attention.

Jody McKane,RN UES Nurse
Phone- 315-557-2605
Fax-315-557-2670