Students who feel ill in school should notify their teacher before visiting the nurse’s office unless it is an emergency. In the middle and high schools, a pass to the nurse is required and must be signed by the teacher of the class being missed.

Students who are not feeling well in class will be assessed and may be asked to rest in the nurse’s office. If the school nurse feels the child is too ill to benefit from school or may be contagious to other children, a parent/guardian will be contacted to take the child home. Students will be released to a parent/guardian only, unless permission is provided to the nurse’s office designating an individual other than the parent/guardian.

High school seniors, if they have parking permits and are well enough, will be allowed to drive themselves home only after obtaining parental permission. Students cannot be released to another student to be driven home. If a senior is too ill to drive, the parent/guardian must drive the student home.

The Orange County Department of Health and the New York State School Health Service, states that a child should not be sent to school if any of these symptoms are present:

• Fever in the past 24 hours

• Vomiting in the past 24 hours

• Diarrhea in the past 24 hours

• Chills

• 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

• It is essential that the school have a phone number where a parent/guardian can be contacted during the day and an emergency number in the event the parent or guardian cannot be reached.

Contact the Nurse’s Office with any questions or concerns.

Parent Guide to Common Childhood Diseases

Orange County Department of Health provided this information about diseases frequently reported among school age children, with recommendations for when a child may return to school.

NY Department of Health Flu Guide for Parents