Student Services and Health Services (FAQ)

Student Services and Health Services

BEFORE SENDING YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY  
1: Please take your child’s temperature with a thermometer. If over 100.4 (without medication) you must not send them to school and keep your child home until they are fever free for 24 hours without medication. ANY DOUBT PLEASE KEEP THEM HOME.

2: If your child has any of the following symptoms please keep them at home until they are symptom free. (cough, chills, headache, sore throat, runny nose, congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, new loss of taste and smell) If your child comes to school with any of these symptoms, they will be sent home and a doctor’s note required before they can return.  

3: When your child is symptom free please send them back to school with a note indicating they were off sick. (A doctor’s note is not required unless requested by the district)

 Q: Will my child be required to wear a mask in school and on the bus?  
A:  Yes, your child will have to wear a mask at school as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Pennsylvania Department of Health when they cannot socially distance beyond 6 ft. This could include, bus, classroom, and other school locations. Students must put on their mask when directed by a school staff member. If your child has a medical reason that they cannot wear a mask, please reach out to your child’s principal as the development and documentation of a 504 plan is required. A doctor’s note alone does not suffice for a student not to wear a mask.  
 Q: Can I refuse to send my child to school as I don’t want them to wear a mask? 
A:  If your child will not wear a mask to school then the district’s online option would be the best choice for your child. Please reach out to your child’s principal to discuss this online option.  
Q: Will my child be screened when arriving at school?   
A:  Children will not be screened daily when they arrive at school. We are asking parents to screen their children in the morning before they send them to school following the guidance at the top of this page. Any student who misses a physical day of school due to a trip, illness, or being sent home, will be screened by the school nurse on the next day that they return. The screening will involve their temperature being taken and answering several screening questions.  
*All families in the hybrid option will be provided with a thermometer on the first day that their child attends school. (one thermometer per family)  
Q: What will happen if my child falls ill at school and has symptoms of COVID?   
A:  If your child is sent to the nurse’s office during the school day due to any COVID symptoms, they will be screened by the school nurse taking their temperature and answering several questions on COVID symptoms. If your child has COVID symptoms, you will be contacted to pick up your child and will be required to provide a dated return to school doctor’s note before your child can return. While waiting to be picked up your child will be placed in the isolation room in the nurse’s suite and supervised by nursing staff. 
Q: Will my child be provided with a mask if we do not have them at home?   
A:  All students will be provided with a disposable mask should they need one when they arrive at school. As a parent/guardian you may purchase a mask/gaiter for your child to wear as long as it meets the requirements of the district and is not a distraction to the educational environment.
Q: What will happen to students who display symptoms? Where will they go until their parent/guardian pick them up?  
A:  Nursing suites are being divided into separate areas for general nursing care and for students displaying COVID-19 symptoms. Parents/Guardians must be ready to pick up sick children promptly. They will be kept away from others to the extent possible until they are picked up. 
Q: If my child is sick and cannot complete their assigned online work at home do I need to send a note to school?  
A: If your child is sick on one of the three hybrid days they are working at home you will need to send a note to school indicating that they were sick. This way they will be marked as excused rather than absent. The district is required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to track attendance and work completion while students are working remotely from home. 
Q: If my child is at home sick, do I need a doctor’s note for them to return to school?  
A: You do not need a doctor’s note unless requested by the school district. You can write an excuse and provide it to the school when your child returns to school. If your child is sent home from school with COVID symptoms then they will need a doctor’s note to return with a specified return to school date. 
Q: I took my child’s temperature before sending them to school and it was 100.0?  
A: If you take your child’s temperature and it is close to 100.4, we would ask that you keep them at home and monitor them for 24 hours. If they are sent to school and their temperature is found to be 100.4 or higher, they will be sent home and you will be required to produce a doctor’s note before they can return. 
Q: If my child tests positive for COVID what should I do?  
A: If your child tests positive for COVID please notify the principal of your child’s school immediately. The district will not release the name of any child who tests positive, and will ensure that their rights are protected under FERPA and HIPPA. The school district will work with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to complete contact tracing and ensure the virus does not spread in school. Your child will be excluded from school for a minimum of 10 days following PA Department of Health guidance and must have a doctor’s note indicating a specified return to school date.  
Q: Someone in our household has tested positive for COVID what should I do?  
A: If someone in your household has tested positive for COVID please notify the principal of your child’s school immediately. Your child will be excluded from school for a minimum of 14 days, and the district will work with the PA Department of Health for guidance on when they can return. Your child will be able to complete work online and not fall behind while they are excluded from school. They will not need a doctor’s note to return to school. 
Q: What happens when the district has a confirmed case of COVID, or more than one case with a staff member or student?   
A: When the district is notified about a positive case of COVID with a student or staff member, they will contact the PA Department of Health for guidance on who should be excluded from school, and if any school should be closed. All decisions will be based on the guidance from the PA Department of Health for cases of COVID. If any student or staff member has a confirmed case of COVID, all staff and students in the district will be notified.  
Q: What cleaning products will be used in schools and how often will cleaning occur?  
A:  The custodial/maintenance staff will follow CDC Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Schools and our Custodial Standards Handbook on a daily basis.  In addition to this cleaning, sanitation, and disinfecting, all classrooms will be “fogged” using an electro-static machine and an approved EPA disinfectant.  High-touch surfaces such as door-handles, handrails, faucets, touchless water fillers, etc. will be disinfected throughout the day. Group bathrooms will be disinfected at least once every two (2) hours using an approved EPA disinfectant. 
Q: What changes are being made to ensure good air quality in buildings?  
A:  The HVAC system will be monitored to make sure it is operating properly. Fresh air into the classrooms is monitored by CO2 sensors to make sure the proper fresh air is being maintained. Filters will be monitored and cleaned or changed when necessary. At least once a month the filters will be looked at and observed. This will be noted on the monthly building inspection sheets. 
Q: How will buses be cleaned?  
A: The transportation contractor will clean and disinfect all buses using an EPA approved disinfectant at the end of each day.  Between morning and afternoon runs, buses will be “fogged” using an EPA approved disinfectant.  Between elementary and secondary runs, the driver will use disinfectant wipes to wipe down high touch areas such as the handrail and the edges and tops of bus seats.