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Illnesses

Please do not send a sick child to school to be assessed by the nurse. If your child has an elevated temperature, contagious infection, rash or sores, uncontrolled cough, diarrhea, or is vomiting at home, DO NOT send the child to school. 

West Fargo Public Schools follows the North Dakota Child Care and School Infectious Disease Exclusion Guide. When learners become sick at school, they are taken to the nurse's office, and parents/guardians will be notified to pick up their child if deemed necessary. If the parent/guardian is unable to come to school to pick up their sick child, it is the responsibility of that parent/guardian to arrange for another adult to pick up their child within 30 minutes. Please do not ask the school to allow a sick child to walk home, as we are concerned about their safety and welfare. If the office is unable to reach a parent/guardian or emergency contact after one hour the School Resource Officer will be contacted to assist in contacting a parent/guardian or take over care of the sick child. For the health of others in the office your child may be asked to wear a mask while they are waiting.

Common illnesses include: 

Contagious Infection

  • If a learner is diagnosed with a contagious condition, notify the school nurse. If medications are prescribed, prescription medications should be taken for 24 hours before returning to school.
  • Before returning to school, symptoms should be improving overall and the learner must be fever-free for 24 hours without using over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen. These medications are known as fever reducers, so when they take this medication, their temperature may come down after taking, but they are still sick.
  • A note from a medical provider may be requested for a learner to return to school on a case-by-case basis.

Respiratory Viruses (COVID, Influenza, RSV)

  • Follow any specific healthcare provider recommendations or recommendations from the North Dakota Department of Health. 
  • Before returning to school, symptoms should be improving overall and the learner needs to be fever-free for 24 hours without over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen. These medications are known as fever reducers, so when they take this medication, their temperature may come down after taking, but they are still sick.

Fever

  • If a learner has a temperature of 100.4 or greater, they should not be in school. If they develop a temperature of 100.4 or greater during the school day, they will need to be picked up within 30 minutes of the parent being notified. Before returning to school, the learner must be fever-free for 24 hours WITHOUT the use of over-the-counter medications, such as acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen. These medications are known as fever reducers, so when they take this medication, their temperature may come down after taking, but they are still sick.

Vomiting/Diarrhea

  • If a learner has vomiting and/or diarrhea, they will need to be symptom-free, eating and drinking normally, and fever-free for 24 hours without any medication, including ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and anti-diarrheal. 

Mandatory Reporting of Illnesses

  • Per North Dakota Administrative Code 33-06-01-01, schools must report to the North Dakota Department of Health the name of any learner absent from school due to mandatory reportable conditions (example: chickenpox, measles).

Additional Guidance

West Fargo Public Schools follows the Childcare and School Infectious Disease Exclusion Guidance from the ND Department of Health, with two exceptions:

  • Fever Threshold: West Fargo Public Schools will exclude learners with a temperature of 100.4 or greater.
  • Head Lice: West Fargo Public Schools has a no nits practice. Learners with nits or head lice will be removed from other children. The child's parent/guardian will be required to remove the child from school immediately and will be given written information on the proper treatment of head lice. Learners will be readmitted to school only if there are not nits and the school nurse has judged the treatment effective. Routine classroom screenings will not be done and notification letters will only be sent as appropriate.