Guidelines for Keeping Kids Home from School Due to Illness

Sometimes it can be difficult to decide when to keep your child home sick.

The following symptoms indicate your student should stay home and may need to follow up with a provider:

• Fever of 100.0 or higher within the last 24 hours without fever reducing medication
• Vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Sore throat
• Persistent runny nose or thick discolored mucus from the nose
• Significant cough that is persistent, productive or disruptive
• Honey-crusted sores around the nose or mouth or rash on other body parts that might be impetigo
• Rash in various stages including boils, sores and bumps that may be chicken pox or coxsackies virus (hand-foot-mouth); OR a significant rash accompanied by other symptoms of illness such as fever
• Red/runny eyes
• Severe ear pain or fluid coming from the ears
• Severe headache

If your child is confirmed to have the flu, they should stay home for at least 24 hours without a fever and have resolving symptoms. Keep in mind that influenza is contagious for 5-7 days. The diagnosing providers note should be followed.

If students have symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19, they should stay home and COVID testing is recommended. If the test is positive, it can be self-reported on our school website. For more information, please call our COVID Coordinator at 315-529-9471. If the test is negative and symptoms are resolving, your child can return to school. Please be aware that all schools within the district have been experiencing an increase in flu, RSV, rhinovirus, strep throat and conjunctivitis. These illnesses are very contagious.

We thank you for your help with keeping your student home when not feeling well as our goal is always to keep everyone safe and healthy. As always, please call with any questions.

Important Updates to the Nurse's Office

CDC list of COVID-19 symptoms:

• Fever or chills – temp above 100.0
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms and the CDC will continue to update list as they learn more about COVID-19

Please remember that information on COVID-19 is continuously changing. Information on this will be updated as needed.

• To limit traffic in the Nurse’s office classroom teachers will have supplies in their classroom to take care of things such as chapped lips, lost tooth, dry skin, minor cut such as a papercut.

Although some issues can be taken care of in the classroom rather than coming to the nurse, students will still have access to nurse if needed.

• • Medications and medical supplies in the Nurse’s office- when bringing medication and supplies to nurse’s office for your child, please contact the nurse prior to coming. Arrangements will be made to meet outside school to give medications and supplies to nurse. Students are not allowed to bring medications to school with them.

Kelly Lindsley
Registered Nurse
Phone: 315-963-8400 ext 5052
Fax: 315-963-7097
klindsley@mexicocsd.org

Services:
Office hours:
7:20am - 2:50pm

Physicals:
Students who are new to the Mexico School District and are 9^th & 11^th  grade students are required by New York State law to have a physical examination by a licensed health care provider. This examination may be performed by the school health care provider at no charge or you may take your child to your own health care provider.

Screenings:
Throughout the school year, mandatory screenings will be completed in the nurse's office if they have not been done on a recent physical. 

These screenings include:
Scoliosis for all 9th grade male students.
Vision and Hearing for all new entrants and 11th grade students.

Medication Policy:
If your child needs to take a medication during school hours, whether it be over-the-counter or prescription, the following must be provided to the school nurse:

• A written Physician's order from the Health Care Provider which includes the medication and dosage. 
• A written request from the parent/guardian.
• The medication must be brought in to the Nurse's office in it's original container by a parent/guardian.
• Students are NOT allowed to self carry medications UNLESS authorized by a physician and parent/guardian in writing

Physical Education Policy:

• Any student who is medically excused from participating in Phys. Ed will not be able to participate in any sports until medically released to participate in PE.

• A written Physician's authorization is required to excuse a student from Phys. Ed, a parent's written note cannot be excepted.
• -Once a student is medically able to participate in PE, a written Physician's authorization is required to release this student to participate in physical education and/or sports.

• -If a student is out on a medical excuse at the end of one school year, a medical release will be required that following school year to release the student to PE participation.