Remember that the essentials of good health are good nutrition, plentiful fluids, regular exercise and plenty of rest.

• Keep your student home if they have a fever of 100.4°F or higher, vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours, or contagious symptoms like a sore throat with fever.

• Notify the school nurse if your student has a communicable disease (e.g., chickenpox, COVID-19, influenza) or health changes like injuries or new medications.

• Updated COVID guidelines: No quarantine is required for positive tests, but students must stay home until symptoms improve and they are fever-free for 24 hours without medication.

• Practice prevention: Teach students to wash hands, cover coughs, and avoid sharing items.

The following criteria can be used to determine when a child should remain at home.

1. Has a cold in the contagious stage (first few days)

2. Sore throat and swollen neck glands accompanied by a fever

3. Undiagnosed rash or skin eruptions

4. Earache, red eyes or drainage from eyes

5. Any communicable disease (see paragraph below)

6. Fever of 100.4° or higher during the past 24 hours

7. Vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours

8. New, unexplained, loss of taste or smell

9. When the student is diagnosed by a physician to have a contagious infection and places the child on a prescription medication, the student may not return to school until they have taken the medication for a full 24 hours.

Please check your student's temperature; a student should be "fever free" for twenty-four (24) hours without taking a fever reducing medication such as Tylenol or Advil before returning to school.

If your student develops a communicable disease, e.g., chicken pox, COVID-19, scarlet fever, Influenza or measles, please notify the school nurse. This will enable us to monitor your child's progress and other student's exposure. Students should remain at home a minimum of one day following the resolution of an acute illness.

The school nurse should be notified by the parent/guardian of any:

• Serious injury, illness, or hospitalization

• Planned surgery

• Communicable diseases such as chicken pox, COVID-19, scarlet fever, influenza, or measles

• New diagnosis or change in your child’s health status

• Fracture, sprain, stitches, cast, or crutches (A Physician note is required for crutches and/or a wheelchair to be used on the school premises.)

• New medication and/or dosing change

• Need to be excused from Physical Education

• Head Lice

Williston Health Care Providers are seeing an increase in visits for diagnosed pneumonia, particularly in school aged children. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It can be caused by different germs, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Individuals are more susceptible in the fall and winter when germs that cause respiratory illnesses are spreading. If exposed, it can take one to four weeks for symptoms to appear. 

Common symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, and feeling tired. Children under 5 often have different symptoms such as: diarrhea, sneezing, vomiting, watery eyes, and wheezing. According to Allisa Larsen, Family Nurse Practitioner at CHI, St. Alexius  Health, “it starts off as a generalized cold, then symptoms appear to improve, although cough and fatigue are prolonged.”

Recommendation focuses on prevention. Since it is spread through respiratory droplets, students should stay home when experiencing symptoms such as fever and cough. If your child is experiencing shortness of breath, prolonged fever or cough, or wheezing, you should contact your primary care provider. 

WBSD #7 encourages you to educate your child on the importance of covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands, avoiding sharing items and limiting close contact with those who are sick. Infection control measures will also be increased in all schools. 

In March 2024, the CDC and ND Health and Human Services released updated COVID guidelines that are still in place:

• Positive COVID Test: Individuals who test positive for COVID are no longer required to quarantine for 5 full days.

• Asymptomatic Positive Test Cases: If an individual tests positive but shows no symptoms, they may resume normal activities, including school or work, immediately.

• Symptomatic Positive Cases: Individuals with symptoms may return to normal activities, school, or work when their symptoms are improving overall, and they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

• Close Contacts: The CDC no longer requires "asymptomatic close contacts" of someone who tested positive for COVID to quarantine.

Visit the CDC COVID guidelines webpage for more information.

If you have concerns or questions related to illness issues, please contact the school nurse at 701-572-1580 Ext 1030.  Exclusion guidelines of ill children are set by the North Dakota Department of Health: NDDoH Exclusion Guidelines or call 800-427-2180.

• Contagious Disease Policy

• Head Lice

• North Dakota Department of Health - Diseases & Conditions