This page contains answers to common questions from students and parents.

1. How can I contact you?
2. When should I keep my student home if I think they are ill?
3. How long should my student stay home for strep throat?
4. How do we do we know if our student needs a Td booster shot? (Tetanus)
5. What is Pink Eye? (bacterial conjunctivitis)
6. What is Ringworm & how would my student get it?
7. How do we prevent or reduce the spread of Ringworm?
8. What is the treatment for Ringworm?
9. What can I do about Head Lice & how often can I shampoo?
10. What is Fifth Disease?

How can I contact you?

Contact the School Building your Student attends & leave me a 
message for non-emergency needs.  Or you can always e-mail me 
with questions & concerns @ jnorris@usd353.com.
WHS 326-4310
WMS 326-4320
Roosevelt 326-4330

IF you have an EMERGENCY or URGENT need - Please tell the school 
you are calling to contact me with your information - If you do 
not hear from me, please call back!

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When should I keep my student home if I think they are ill?

General guidelines to follow are:
Students should stay home if they have vomiting or diarrhea or a 
temperature of 100.0 or higher.  They should stay home for 24 
hours after their last temp. of 100 or more, without the use of 
fever reducing medicines such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen & until 
diarrhea & vomiting have stopped for 10-12 hours.  Students with 
a temperature of 100 degrees or more will be sent home from 
school.

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How long should my student stay home for strep throat?

Generally the doctors recommend that your student be on 
antibiotics and not have an elevated temperature (100 degrees or 
higher) for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever reducing 
medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen, before returning to 
school.

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How do we do we know if our student needs a Td booster shot? (Tetanus)

Those students who are due for the booster will be notified by 
mail. Students who were 11 years old on August 31st were required 
to have a TDAP booster this year.  If your student is older than 
11, they may be required to receive a booster(Tdap) shot every 10 
years.  This is a state law.  The shots are available at the 
Sumner County Health Department or at your Doctors office.  If 
your student is injured, needs stitches from a cut, has a deep 
scrape or other skin injury check with your doctor or the health 
department & they will give them a Td boooster.  
Send the school a copy of the students record showing the date 
the booster 
was given.

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What is Pink Eye? (bacterial conjunctivitis)

Pink Eye is an infection/irritation of the eye &/or eyelid.  It 
is easily passed between students.  If you think your student has 
pink eye, keep them home and arrange an appointment with your Eye 
Doctor or Family Physician.  Treatment is usually antibiotic eye 
drops.  Students who are seen at school by the nurse with 
potential cases of pink eye will be sent home until they are seen 
by their Eye Doctor or Family Physician.  They may return to 
school the day following the start of treatment (common treatment 
is antibiotic eye drops).

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What is Ringworm & how would my student get it?

Ringworm is a fungus that is spread by skin to skin contact.  
This skin to skin contact is usually rough, involving friction & 
is most common in contact sports such as gymnastics & wrestling.  
However it can also be present at anytime, on anyone and in any 
sport, physical education class or event.  To spread ringworm, 
one of the participants must also have the fungus on their skin.  
This fungus can also be spread from cats to humans.  Cats with 
the ringworm fungus will have bald areas on their coat & must be 
treated with pills obtained from your Vet.

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How do we prevent or reduce the spread of Ringworm?

Stress to your athlete that their personal hygiene is very 
important.  
Showering with soap & water after each practice & competition is 
a must!  
Wearing clean practice clothes & uniforms for each practice or 
competition.  
Keep dirty practice clothing out of bags used to transport clean 
clothing.  
Regular inspection of skin & reporting of red areas, rashes, or 
blisters to coaches, parents, or the school nurse for evaluation 
will help with identification & control.
Coaches & teachers must also monitor students skin conditions & 
the regular cleaning of equipment/mats they use.

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What is the treatment for Ringworm?

Ringworm on the body can be treated with an antifungal ointment.  
This usually does not have to be a prescription medication, ask 
the pharmacist what product they recommend.  The ointment must be 
applied 3-4 times throughout the day, until the area is healed.  
Ringworm on the scalp, however, will take a trip to the doctor to 
cure with an oral medication.

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What can I do about Head Lice & how often can I shampoo?

For Distict Policy on Head Lice go to the Head Lice page.
The most important things to do when your student has head lice 
are:  
Follow ALL label directions on the shampoo you use (DO NOT use it 
more frequently than directed!). 
Make sure that ALL NITS are removed from the hair shafts and 
clean/launder all clothing, bedding, etc. throughly.  Check the 
Head Lice page for more information.

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What is Fifth Disease?

It is usually seen as a red rash on the face (first) with white 
or pale skin around it.  It is commonly referred to as the 
"slapped cheek" appearance.  It is caused by the 
Parvovirus B19 and spread by respiratory secrections such as 
through coughs or sneezing.  It can take from 4-21 days for a 
person to know they have the virus.  It is easilest to pass on 
before the rash is visible and probably not communicalbe after 
the rash is seen.  Students are not excluded from school 
once the rash appears as they usually feel the worst before the 
rash shows up.  For more information to to www.webmd.com and 
search for Fifth Disease.

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