Hello Byam families,
Attention 3rd and 4th grade families- if you have received a letter from me in the mail requesting an updated physical for school, please send it in. Massachusetts state law and Chelmsford Public School district policy requires that all 3rd grade students have a current physical on file. Thank you for your cooperation.
An update on illnesses...
Hopefully the nice spring weather will be arriving soon and we can see an end to cold and flu season. While the spread of illnesses seems to be tapering down, we are still seeing cases of Strep, Flu and the stomach bug at Byam. As a reminder here is the district's illness policy and guidelines for returning to school. As always, please reach out to me with any questions.
Illness Policy:
We recommend children do not come to school if they appear to be ill. We advise to keep your child home if he/she has a sore throat, severe cold, rash, fever, vomiting and/or diarrhea. Your child needs to stay home if he/she has any of the following:
- Strep Throat: If strep throat is suspected and the child either has had a negative throat culture or has been on antibiotics and fever free for a full 24 hours.
- A fever over 100: May return to school when he/she is fever free for 24 hours without medication (e.g. Tylenol or Advil).
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea: May return to school 24 hours after his/her last vomiting and/or diarrhea episode.
- Red or pink itchy eyes with crusty and or green/yellow drainage: May return to school the day after treatment for 24 hours or has no further eye discharge.
- Head Lice or nits (eggs): The nurse will assess the student for the presence of head lice or nits. If head lice or nits are detected, the nurse will contact the parent/guardian and provide education on lice treatment. Based on the discretion of the school nurse, some situations may warrant a dismissal from school
- A rash of unknown cause: May require to MD clearance at the discretion of the school nurse.
If a child is too ill to remain in school the nurse will call parent/guardian and/or emergency contact numbers for dismissal. The student should not place the call from a school phone or mobile phone.
Parents/guardians are required to notify the school if your child contracts any contagious diseases (e.g. Chicken Pox, Strep Throat, Whooping Cough, Fifth’s Disease, Conjunctivitis, Scabies, Impetigo, Ringworm or Head Lice, etc.). If a child has been absent due to a communicable disease, a physician’s release may be required before returning to school.
Thank you! Nurse Pappo
