Showing up to school every day is critical for children's wellbeing, engagement, and learning.
Make sure to send children to school if they are:
Generally healthy and well.
Participating in usual day-to-day activities.
Children can even go to school if they:
Have a mild cold, which may include a runny nose and/or cough.
Have eye drainage without fever, eye pain, or eyelid redness.
Have a mild stomachache.
Have a mild rash with no other symptoms.
Have head lice. Though they are annoying and should be treated, lice are not a reason to exclude a child from school.
Haven’t had a fever overnight and they have not taken fever-reducing medicine during that time.
Avoid keeping children at home unless they are too sick to participate. Note that in most situations, a healthcare provider's note is not needed to return.
Children may avoid school due to anxiety (symptoms may include decreased appetite, feeling tired, stomachache, headache etc). If you are worried that your child may be suffering from anxiety, talk with your teacher, the school nurse, social worker or other school staff to discuss the challenge and identify what can help your child stay in school.
If your child has a compromised immune system or is at high risk for complications from common illnesses, please talk to your school (school nurse if available) about developing a plan with you and your child's health-care provider to keep your child healthy and safe while attending school.
Please note: This document is not meant to take the place of local health department/school district guidance including about contagious illnesses such as Covid-19 and the flu.