Illness

St. Francis of Assisi School is working hard to keep our students and staff safe and healthy, and we truly appreciate working together to make this happen. Please reach out to the school office if you have any additional questions.

ILLNESS

What do I do if my child is sick?

Email or call the office with a description of the situation and how long you anticipate your child being absent.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (206) 243-5690

Please DO NOT send your child to school if he/she is running a fever, vomiting, or experiencing flu-like symptoms. Additionally, children must be fever-free (and not using fever-reducing medication) and not vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school.

Illness and Flu / COVID-19 Protocols
You can go back to your normal activities when both of the following have been true for at least 24 hours:

Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).

You can tell your symptoms are improving when you start to feel better and you feel well enough to fully participate in your activities, such as learning in a classroom or completing tasks at work. A respiratory virus infection can have many types of symptoms, some of which can last beyond when someone is contagious (able to spread the virus), such as a lingering cough. Having a single symptom or a combination of symptoms is not as important as the overall sense of feeling better and the ability to resume activities.
When you go back to your normal activities, take added precautions over the next 5 days, such as practicing good hand hygiene and cleaning regularly. You may still be contagious with a respiratory virus after returning to your normal activities, so it is important to take additional precautions.

Lice Protocols

In accordance with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we encourage all families to take the following proactive steps:

1. Check Your Child's Scalp:

- Examine your child’s hair and scalp carefully under good lighting, particularly behind the ears and near the nape of the neck.

- Look for live lice (small, brownish insects about the size of a sesame seed) or nits (tiny, oval-shaped eggs tightly attached to hair shafts near the scalp).

2. Treatment (If Lice/Nits are Found):

- If you discover live lice or nits, treat with an over-the-counter or prescription head lice medication following the product instructions carefully.

- Inform the school nurse or main office so we can keep track of classroom health patterns.

3. Personal Items & Household Care:

- Remind your child not to share personal items such as hats, helmets, hair accessories, scarves, combs, or brushes.

- Wash clothing, bedding, and towels used by the affected person within the last two days in hot water and dry on high heat.

- Soak combs and brushes in hot water (at least 130°F) for 5–10 minutes.

4. When to Return to School:

- Students may return to school after their first appropriate treatment has been completed.

Protocol as of 9/23/2026