Wellness

As we plan to start a new school year, it is essential to remember that no child should come to school ill. This is standard practice. We have been consistently vigilant in our response to COVID, and as a result, the incidences of in-school transmission at RHNS have been limited.  Common sense protocols remain our best defense in battling any infectious illnesses threatening our school community.

You should keep your child home from school if they have:

  • a fever of 100° F (or higher)

  • profuse nasal discharge that is not clear

  • a persistent, productive cough

  • uncontrolled diarrhea

  • vomiting

  • pink eye

  • an undetermined rash

  • has been on an antibiotic for less than 24 hours

Please get in touch with the school.  We will confer with you regarding the symptoms' nature, length, and severity to determine the next steps. 

When a child is positive for a viral infection, including but not limited to COVID, your child cannot return to school.  Each viral concern has different protocols for determining how long your child must stay out of school.  Your child’s class will be notified of potential exposure, what symptoms to look for, the incubation period for the virus, and typical treatments. Please remember that the greatest protection from all viruses is HANDWASHING!  

  • COMMON COLD/UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION: Must be fever free for 48 hours and have a negative test for COVID-19. Please keep your child home if they have an excessively runny nose and a constant/productive cough. If the cough disrupts your child’s typical day’s activities, they must stay home and rest.  If fever is present with additional symptoms, please seek medical advice about testing for COVID.

  • CONJUNCTIVITIS: Children must be on prescription eye drops for 24 hours and have no eye discharge before returning to school.

  • COXSACKIE: Fever free for 48 hours, and lesions must be dry and healing

  • FEVER: Your child must be fever-free (under 100 degrees) for 48 hours without using Tylenol, Motrin, or Ibuprofen. Fever is a symptom of COVID; if in conjunction with additional symptoms, please seek medical advice about testing for COVID.

  • FLU: Students must stay out of school for five days upon diagnosis, with or without using Tamiflu. Students must also be fever-free for 48 hours and have a doctor’s note clearing them to return to school. Flu symptoms are similar to COVID. Please seek medical advice about testing for COVID.

  • IMPETIGO: May return to school 24 hours after the start of treatment.

  • RASH: Not all rashes require that a child stay home from school. Please check with your doctor.

  • STOMACH VIRUS: Children must be free of vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours and tolerate solid food.  If in combination with fever or additional symptoms, please seek medical advice about testing for COVID.

  • STREP THROAT: Signs and symptoms of strep include sore throat, headache, stomach ache, nausea, vomiting, rash, fever, and fatigue. The child may have one or more of these symptoms. Note: When a child sees the physician for a strep culture, please inform the school results of the culture.  If the culture is positive, the child must be on antibiotics for twenty-four hours before returning to school. Strep throat symptoms are similar to COVID. Please seek medical advice about testing for COVID.

COVID-19: Upon testing positive, students must isolate for five days from the onset of symptoms or from the date of the test, whichever came first. A student may return to school after five days of isolation if they are asymptomatic.  If returning to school, a child must wear a mask at all times starting on day 6 through the conclusion of day 10. Masks breaks are permitted during outside play.

Testing. Please take a COVID test as soon as possible after symptoms begin if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: sore throat, congestion/runny nose, headache, muscle/body aches, fever/chills, cough/shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, vomiting/diarrhea, loss of taste or smell.

If your child tests positive for COVID, regardless of vaccination status:

  • Stay home for five days.

  • Test on day 6

  • If the Day 6 test is negative- a child can return to school but must wear a mask for the remainder of the 10-day window.

  • If the Day 6 test is positive must remain out for ten days and can return on day 11 regardless of test results.

Exposures We will no longer close a classroom if/when a person tests positive for COVID. In addition to the above protocol, children in the exposed classroom at UPPER SCHOOL will be encouraged to wear masks for five days following any in-class exposure. They must test daily to attend for five days after classroom exposure.   

Your family is considered exposed if there is a COVID-positive person in the home.  All vaccinated persons can participate as usual. All unvaccinated persons must stay home for five days after the last day of exposure.  If the positive individual cannot isolate, the last day of exposure is five days after testing positive.  Exposure to COVID Is considered ongoing until five days after testing positive.  An unvaccinated person can return on day 6 (FIVE days after a positive test result PLUS five days after the last day of exposure). A person must be symptom-free and test daily to attend to day 10.

Gateway testing will remain the norm at the beginning of the school year and after each vacation break.  Your child must present negative test results to return to school in September, November (Thanksgiving Break), January (Holiday Break), February (mid-Winter break), and March (Spring Break).  Rapid tests are available for all families and will be sent home before each break.

Children exposed who have had COVID within the past 90 days are exempt from gateway testing.

Mask wearing remains optional.

Please be aware that, as we have done consistently throughout the onset of the COVID pandemic, we remain ready to pivot should local health conditions change. The school may reinstitute masking or other risk mitigations should regulations change, local conditions warrant, or if the school deems such actions to be in the community's best interest, including closing a classroom if multiple positive cases are present.