Illness Guidelines

District 196 follows guidance from leading health organizations (eg. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota Department of Health, American Academy of Pediatrics) to reduce the spread of communicable disease. 
When unsure if your child should attend school, consult with a healthcare provider or contact your school nurse.

Children should stay home from school for the following reasons: 

• Fever of 100.4 or higher - can return when fever free for 20 hours without fever reducing medication.
• Strep throat - can return after 12 hours of antibiotics and fever free for 20 hours without fever reducing medication.
• Vomiting or diarrhea (without a known reason)  - can return 20 hours after last episode. 
• Rash (without a known reason) with behavior change or fever of 100.4 or greater.
• Excessive coughing that persists and makes it difficult to participate in school.
• Not healthy enough to participate in routine school activities.

District 196 Illness Guidelines can be found here: English | Spanish | Somali
 

If a child becomes ill at school and needs to go home:

• The school nurse will call guardians listed in the child’s Infinite Campus record. Please update your contact information as needed, including emergency contacts.
• Students who are ill need to be picked up as soon as possible to prevent the spread of illness. 

 

Guidance on other common health issues: 

Pink eye guidance  (conjunctivitis) 

• There is no exclusion for pink eye unless the child has a fever of 100.4 or higher and/or is not healthy enough to participate in school activities (consult a health care provider for eye pain or reduced/blurry vision/recent eye trauma).

Head lice guidance (pediculus humanus capitis) 

• There are no exclusions from school for head lice. While notifying your child's school is encouraged, it is not required.
• Notifications may be sent home with 3 or more known cases of head lice in a classroom within 1 month.
• Head lice is a common occurrence, is not related to personal cleanliness and has not been shown to spread at school.
• Parents/guardians are encouraged to regularly monitor for lice.
• If live lice are found at school, resources for treatment will be shared with parents/guardians.
• District Head Lice Information Sheet

 

Guidance on air quality and outdoor activity:

District 196 follows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Quality and Outdoor Activity Guidance for Schools to determine adjustments needed. The CDC recommends that children get 60 or more minutes of physical activity each day. School administrators will work with their building nurse to:

• Reduce risk by modifying activities based on the EPA guidance
• Educate students and staff about risks and symptoms to watch for
• Be proactive in identifying individuals that could benefit from medication prior to activity when ordered, and
• Quickly identify those experiencing symptoms so they can receive first aid treatment.