Sick Child Policies

 

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Revised August 24, 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Montessori Community School’s policies on sick children have been changed to incorporate current health guidelines issued to group child care centers from the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health.  In addition to the Health Policies stated in the current Family Handbook, the following health policies are in effect until such time as the guidelines are revised.  Parents will be notified of any changes.

 

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If your child is ill and will be absent from school, please call the school office at (808) 522-0244 before 9:00 a.m.   

Children who arrive at school with symptoms of illness will be sent home.  Children who become ill during the school day will be isolated.  Parents will be called to immediately pick up their child, and must take no longer than one hour to pick up their sick child.  

—Children who are ill must stay home from school and must be sent home if they become ill at school, particularly if they have COVID-19 symptoms.

—Parents or legal guardians of symptomatic students should consult with their regular physician to consider testing for COVID-19.  While COVID-19 presents many symptoms, particular attention should be paid to the primary symptoms of concern, including fever over 100.4°F, persistent cough, and shortness of breath.

—A physician’s note is required as clearance for return school following the resolution of any contagious disease or condition.   

 

RETURN TO SCHOOL RELATING TO COVID-19

The following guidelines outline the policies and procedures for the various situations relating to COVID-19.

1.   The student has symptoms and a positive COVID-19 viral (PCR) test result. 

The student can return to school and be around others after:  

10 days since symptoms first appeared and

24 hours have passed since the fever has resolved, without the use of fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol, Advil, etc. and

Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.  Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation.​

Alternatively, they should remain at home until: 

(a) there is resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and

(b) there is improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and

(c) they have received two subsequent negative COVID-19 viral tests at least 24 hours apart.

 

2.  The student has symptoms and a negative COVID-19 viral test (and if they have multiple

      tests, all tests are negative). 

The student can return to school and be around others after:  

10 days since symptoms first appeared and

24 hours have passed since the fever has resolved, without the use of fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol, Advil, etc. and

Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.  Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation.​

 

3.  The student has symptoms and does not undergo COVID-19 testing.

The student can return to school and be around others after:  

  • 10 days since symptoms first appeared and

  • 24 hours have passed since the fever has resolved, without the use of fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol, Advil, etc. and

  • Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.  Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation.​

 

4.  The student has a positive COVID-19 viral test result but no symptoms. 

The student can return to school and be around others after:  

The student can return to work and be around others after 10 days have passed since the student had a positive viral test for COVID-19.

 

If the student develops symptoms after testing positive, follow the guidance above in situation #3:  “If the student has symptoms and does not undergo COVID-19 testing.”

 

5.  The student has been around a person with COVID-19.   

Anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days after their last exposure to that person. 

For COVID-19, a “close contact” is defined as anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick until the time the patient was isolated.

However, anyone who has had close contact with someone with COVID-19 and who

  •  developed COVID-19 illness within the previous 3 months and

  • has recovered and

  • remains without COVID-19 symptoms (for example, cough, shortness of breath) does not need to stay home.

Most people do not require testing to decide when they can be around others; however, if your healthcare provider recommends testing, they will let you know when you can resume being around others based on your test results.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will be notified by their health care provider whom they saw to be tested. Upon health care or laboratory report of the positive test to DOH, you will be contacted by the DOH to further conduct investigation and contact tracing. The DOH will determine when you are able to be released from isolation and can provide a letter of such clearance. If you are tested for COVID-19, your health care provider should inform you of what to do while waiting for your test results. 

If your health care provider does not provide you with instructions, you can follow the following general protocols: https://health.hawaii.gov/coronavirusdisease2019/files/2020/04/What-To-Do-If-You-Have-Been-Tested-For-COVID19_040120.pdf

 

Children must be kept home for the following reasons: 

 

—FEVER.  A temperature above 100.4° F within the previous 24 hours.

 

COVID-19.  Children who arrive at school with symptoms of illness, especially symptoms of COVID-19, will be sent home.  

Children exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms may discontinue isolation and return to school under all of the conditions outlined above (“Return to School Relating to COVID-19”).

 

OFF-ISLAND TRAVEL.  Children who have traveled off-island must follow the current State of Hawaii 14-day quarantine requirement upon return from the trip.  The exception is neighbor island travel.  Any changes to COVID-19 travel restrictions will be adhered to as they are updated by federal, state, and/or county governments. 

 

VOMITING AND/OR DIARRHEA.  Children must stay home until free from these conditions for 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea.  Children who experience two or more episodes of vomiting related to acute gastroenteritis in the previous 24 hours must stay home until the vomiting is resolved. For children in diapers, diarrhea is defined as a loose bowel movement not contained by the diaper.  For children not in diapers, diarrhea is defined as stool frequency two or more stools greater than the child’s normal stool frequency.    

 

DISEASE.  Any diagnosable illness, disease, or condition which requires exclusion as per the Department of Health guidelines, such as measles, mumps, chicken pox, whooping cough, etc.

 

CONTAGIOUS CONDITIONS.  Colds, influenza (flu), strep throat, croup, unexplained rashes, skin infections, eye infections, head lice, etc.  Verification of the successful resolution of the condition must be presented prior to returning to school.

 

CHRONIC ALLERGIES.  Children under the care of a physician for chronic allergies must present a written statement from the physician specifically stating the nature of the child’s condition and that the condition is not contagious.

 

MEDICATION.  Please speak with your child’s teacher or the office if medication needs to be administered during school hours. Parents must complete a Medication Release Form (available from the teacher or office) and include it with the medicine. Medications must be sent in the original, labeled container. 

 

NEVER send medication, either prescription or over-the-counter, with a child to keep in his lunch box, cubby, or back pack. This presents a serious danger to your own child and others. All medication, non-prescription as well as prescription, should be given to the teacher upon arrival.  This includes, but is not limited to hand sanitizers, sunscreen, and cough lozenges.

 

Parental cooperation with school policies regarding illness is absolutely essential for the well-being of the children and proper functioning of the school.  

 

 

 

*  *  *  IMPORTANT NOTE  *  *  *


These guidelines and policies are subject to change in order to follow current governmental guidelines.  Parents will be notified of any changes.