Sick Policy

Do to others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6:31).

We cannot stress this enough: If you or your children are sick or recovering from an illness, even the common cold or sinus infection**, please do not attend co-op that week. We do not want co-op to be a source of sickness for any family, so please use good judgment.

We follow the health services guidelines recommended by the American Public Health Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. If you or your children have any the following, please do not go to co-op:

• Fever of 99 degrees or greater within 24 hours prior to co-op
• Fever that needs medication to control (such as Tylenol, Advil or Motrin)
• Vomiting or nausea within 48 hours prior to co-op
• Diarrhea within 24 hours prior to co-op
• Nasal congestion, or yellow or green nasal discharge, or excessive clear nasal discharge that is heavy enough to require frequent wiping
• Common cold with sore throat or persistent coughing or sneezing
• Streptococcal infection, until 48 hours after medication has been initiated
• Antibiotics for less than 48 hours
• Infected skin or eyes or undiagnosed rash (e.g. conjunctivitis, poison ivy, etc.), until the prescribed drops, cream or treatment are complete or incubation period recommended by doctor has passed
• Acting lethargic, listless, or irritable
• Any complaint of unexplained or undiagnosed pain (not including teething)
• Other contagious symptoms, including but not limited to lice, ringworm, etc.

If your child has a clear runny nose, then use your best judgment as to whether it’s sickness or allergy or teething; most likely if it’s after sickness, it’s still contagious. If you decide to bring your child with clear runny nose due to allergies or teething, please be diligent about wiping your child’s nose often and washing your hands immediately afterwards.

**Although a sinus infection is not contagious, the cold that preceded the sinus infection is highly contagious. As a result, with a sinus infection, please stay home until fully recovered from cold symptoms as stated above. The same applies to strep throat. If you still have cold symptoms even after 48 hours on medication, please stay home until cold symptoms end.

If you or your children have any of the symptoms listed above, you will be asked to return home. Please do not put us in the awkward position of having to ask you to go home or to take a sick child home.

If you need to stay home with a sick child, you must keep children through grade 2 at home with you. You may send your well children in grades 3 and above to co-op with a supervising adult (See Substitutes Policy).

Notify teachers if your child has any medical conditions or allergies, especially in any class that may serve food.