Student Illness
Sometimes it is very hard to know if your child should stay home. Asking yourself the following 3 questions may help:
- Is it in my child's best health interest to stay home and rest in order to recover from whatever he/she has?
- Is my child contagious and can he/she make other children sick, especially children who might be especially susceptible to getting sick?
- Is my child capable of going to school and learning today, or is he/she feeling too bad to concentrate on his/her work?
The following guidelines should also help you make your decision:
- Fever -- The child needs to stay home from school for 24 hours after the temperature is below 100.0 without the use of medication. This is really for the benefit of your child and to make sure he has recovered from whatever he had.
- Vomiting and Diarrhea -- Make sure the child is eating and drinking without problems before having him return to school and has not had any vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours.
- A child who is put on antibiotics should not return to school until he has been on the antibiotics for at least 24 hours. This is the minimum guideline. Many times children require 48 hours of antibiotics before they really feel well enough to return to school.
Vision and Hearing Testing
Vision and hearing screening is done on all kindergarten through third grade, and students who are new to Stafford County Public Schools. Mass screenings will be done in October and November. If screening indicates further evaluation is needed by a doctor, a referral notice will be sent home. Any parent may request that a screening be done if there are concerns about a students vision or hearing.
Medication Policy
Please review the Stafford County policy regarding medications at school. All medications (including over the counter medications, cough drops, and ointments) administered at school must have a written order from the doctor and a signed permission form from the parents on file at the school. (There is a form in the Code of Conduct booklet that should be used for this purpose.) Parents need to supply the school with the medication in the original container or labeled prescription bottle. Medication should be transported to school by an adult. Do not send medication to school with your student.
Clinic Supplies
Stafford County supplies all the clinics with the following items to be used. If you have any questions or concerns about these items, please contact the clinic.
Alcohol, Band-Aids, Bacitracin ointment, Saline, Isotonic eyewash solution, First aid cream, Orajel, Paper tape, Chloraseptic throat spray, Vaseline, Bactine, Vinyl gloves, anti-itch gel, Hydrogen peroxide, and Hand lotion.
Click here to access Stafford County Public Schools Health Services and Forms.
