Notes from the School Nurse

Notes from the Elementary School Nurse:

Hello everyone! We are very excited for this school year. Below are some things to keep in mind as we prepare to go back to start school on Monday.

Please refer to the school health guidelines and the algorithm that is on the website for specific guidelines.

However, here are a few important things to remember:

Be prepared, your child can be sent home for ANY COVID-like symptoms, such as; cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste/smell, temperate 100.4 or greater, congestion, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, headache, or myalgia. They will need to remain home until cleared by a healthcare provider or for 10 days, per IDPH guidelines.

If you’re keeping your child home for any of the above mentioned symptoms or exposure to a positive COVID case, all members in the household must remain out of school. All children may return to school once the child with symptoms has been cleared to return by their healthcare provider.

Also, at drop off, if a student is found to have a temperature of 100.4 or greater, that child will return home, as well as all household siblings.

If the child or any household members have been in direct contact with a positive COVID case, all household members must remain home for 14 days.

If your child has seasonal allergies, please administer allergy meds before school, otherwise child could be sent home for allergy symptoms as they may resemble Covid symptoms.

Please send your child to school with a full water bottle. Students will be encouraged to stay hydrated to limit headaches from dehydration. Water fountains will be closed.

The school nurse needs all emergency medications (Inhalers, Epi-pens, Benadryl, Diastat) brought to the school for any hybrid learners as soon as possible. Also, completed action plans and medication orders need to be turned in as well.

Please call the school to update all emergency contacts. If your child needs sent home throughout the school day, it is important that we are able to reach someone and the child is picked up promptly.

Please have several masks for your children, as they should be laundered frequently and rotated. No bandanas is neck gaiters are acceptable.

I understand that this school year will look different than years past and we want to work together to create a safe, sustainable and nurturing place for the students to return to. We have been working closely with the Montgomery County Health Department and have created our guidelines based off of current CDC and IDPH guidelines.

Please remain patient with us as we all navigate this new school year together as a team.

Thanks,

Nurse Kirby