• How sick is too sick?

    Children get sick, and as parents and guardians, we want them not to miss school more than is necessary. There are times when you should keep your child away from school. If your child is sick, you should know that keeping them home improves the time required for getting well. You also reduce the possibility of spreading illnesses. Here are five signs or symptoms for keeping your child at home:

    1. Fever: If your child has a fever of 100 or above, then he/she should remain at home until fever free for 24 hours without the aid of Tylenol or Ibuprofen. 
    2. Vomiting/Diarrhea: Your child should not attend school if they have had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours. 
    3. Undiagnosed Rash: Your child should not attend school until the rash has been diagnosed by a physician and treated if necessary.
    4. Pink Eye: Pink eye is contagious. Your child must be treated before returning to school.
    5. Common Sense: There are times when your child just looks and feels like he/she is too sick to learn in school. 

    2024-2025 COVID-19 Protocols for Students

    COVID-19 cases confirmed by a family physician or medical clinic will be reported to an ACS school nurse to verify doctor’s orders and excused absences. Doctor’s orders will be followed regarding the number of days for an excused absence.

    Symptomatic students who have fever, chills, cough, runny nose, fatigue, headache or other symptoms of respiratory illness should stay home.

    Students may return to school once the following criteria are met:

    • Fever has been resolved for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications AND
    • Overall symptoms have begun to improve.

    Once students return to school following illness, they are encouraged to take added precautions, including extra hand-hygiene, distancing when possible, and steps to limit transmission (coughing and sneezing into elbow) until symptoms have fully resolved. Masks are permitted to help reduce transmission.

    Students who are exposed to someone with COVID-19 may continue attending school as long as they remain symptom free.

    • If an exposed student develops symptoms, they are encouraged to be seen by a physician. Students who develop symptoms must not return to school until the criteria discussed above are met. Absences may be excused with a parent note or a note from a physician.

    Home COVID-19 tests will not be accepted as proof of a positive COVID-19 case or be used to excuse student absences.