Children who are sick should stay home from school. If your child has been sick with any of the following symptoms in the last 24 hours, please keep them home:
- Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Muscle aches or body aches
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
COVID-19 vs. Influenza
Symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 can be similar. Please consult the Centers for Disease Control’s website for information to help you tell the difference. If you have concerns that your child may have COVID-19, please follow district guidance or contact your child’s school nurse for advice.
Attendance Policy
Please note that Salem Public Schools’ Attendance Policy #5101 states that, “A student out of school for more than three (3) or more days consecutively within a term or who exhibits a pattern of absenteeism, must have a doctor’s note when returning to school for that absence to be excused.”
Illness Prevention
We recommend that students receive the annual flu and COVID vaccines in order to prevent serious illness during the winter months. Our staff is committed to providing a safe learning environment by keeping surfaces in school spaces clean and encouraging students to engage in frequent hand washing.