Health Center

Dear Parents:

We are here to support your student in case any situations arise during the school day. If your child is feeling sick or injured in the morning, we kindly request that you keep them home and/or have them evaluated by your family physician. If your child becomes ill during the school day, it is necessary for them to be evaluated by a nurse before being sent home. If your child sends a text message requesting to go home, please call the school before arriving. Information regarding our health policies can be found below. If you ever have any questions or require assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Wishing you a happy and healthy school year!

Warmest Regards,
Mrs. Cavanagh

Sending Home Students Who are Ill

As a general rule, students will only be sent home sick if they have a fever of 100 degrees or more, or if they vomit. The nurse will evaluate students feeling ill and will make a case-by-case decision using her discretion. The school nurse and a school administrator are the only individuals that may determine if a child needs to be sent home. Students sent home with a fever will not be re-admitted to school until 24 hours after the student has been fever free without the use of medication such as Tylenol or Advil.

Recent Injury

If your child has sustained a recent injury or illness that restricts his/her activity, please notify the school and forward medical documentation to the School Nurse.

A doctor’s note is required to use the elevator and/or wheelchair. If you child needs a wheelchair, please provide one. They are easily rented at medical supply stores.
Renaissance Academy does have a wheelchair for both the lower and upper schools; however, they must be available for situations that occur during the school day.
A doctor’s note is required to be excused from participating in gym class. Once relieved of the injury or illness, a doctor’s note is also required to return to all activities, including gym class.

Sending Students to School

While it is sometimes inconvenient to keep a sick child home, school exclusion is necessary to keep our school community healthy. Please use the following guidelines when deciding whether your child should come to school:

Your child will need to stay home if he/she has a temperature of 100* or greater. Your child’s temperature should be below 100* for 24 hours (without the use of Tylenol or Ibuprofen) before returning to school.
Children with vomiting and /or diarrhea are to be kept home for 24 hours after the last episode. Your child should be tolerating a regular diet before returning to school.
Children with suspected infectious diseases (i.e. pink eye, strep throat, ringworm, impetigo) must be kept home until verification from your health care provider can be obtained. Some illnesses require physician certification to return to school.
Children with severe sore throat, excessive cough or a cough that produces phlegm, severe headache, earache, or stomachache that prevents them from eating/drinking should remain home.
Remember that children who are ill are not to be sent to school simply because there is a party or a field trip or because they don't want to miss a test or assignment. Although they may be sad at missing the event or worry about falling behind, they are often too sick to participate and risk infecting their fellow students and staff members.