Sick Child Policy
The following illness policies will be strictly enforced, for the health, well-being and safety of all concerned.
DCPS Sick Child Policy: Under no circumstances may a parent bring a sick child to school, if the child shows any signs of illness see (SYMPTOMS REQUIRING REMOVING OF CHILD FROM SCHOOL), or is unable to participate in the normal routine and regular day school day. Sick children will expose all children and staff members who they come in contact with. These people can in turn expose the other children. If other children become ill due to exposure to your sick child, either because he/she was returned to school before full recovery or because he/she was not picked up promptly upon notice of becoming ill, other parents will be unnecessarily inconvenienced. Because this is disruptive to other children and their families, your cooperation on this issue is extremely important.
In the event a child becomes ill and needs to be picked up, the parent(s) will be called and are expected to come pick the child up within one hour (60 minutes). If the parent(s) cannot be reached, or have not arrived within an hour, the emergency contact person will be called and asked to come pick the child up. In the event a child complains about not feeling well during the school day, the parent will be contacted.
Symptoms requiring removal of child from school:
- Fever: Fever is defined as having a temperature of 100°F or higher (a child needs to be fever free for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school, that means the child is fever free without the aid of any fever reducing substance.)
- Fever AND sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, earache, irritability, or confusion.
- Diarrhea: runny, watery, bloody stools, or 2 or more loose stools within last 4 hours.
- Vomiting. Note: please do not bring your child if they have vomited in the night.
- Breathing trouble, sore throat, swollen glands, loss of voice, hacking or continuous coughing.
- Frequent scratching of body or scalp, lice, rash, or any other spots that resemble childhood diseases, including ringworm.
- Child is irritable, continuously crying, or requires more attention than we can provide without hurting the health, safety or well-being of the other children in our care.
Students returning to school from an absence are required to present a written explanatory excuse from their parent(s) or legal guardian stating the cause for the absence.
A physician’s note is needed when (1) the student has been absent for 3 or more consecutive days, (2) has had surgery, (3) is returning to school after hospitalization, (4) has been under the doctor’s care for a significant illness, or (5) is returning to school after being excluded because of a communicable disease.