Should my child stay home from school?

Parents and students frequently have questions about when it is appropriate to stay home from school because of illness. Please keep your child home from school if the student has experienced...

•  a temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medication)
• vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours
• a new, undiagnosed rash
• pus-like eye drainage
• symptoms of severe illness such as unusual fatigue, uncontrolled cough, and difficulty breathing
• feeling ill enough that he or she would not be able to benefit from being at school

Please contact your school's health office if you have questions.

 Contacting Parents and Guardians

If your child becomes ill at school and needs to go home, Health Services staff will attempt to contact the parent or guardian listed.

• The additional designated emergency contact will be contacted if we feel your child needs to go home and we are unable to reach a parent or guardian.
• Your child will not be allowed to leave the school with someone other than who is listed .
• Your child will not be allowed to leave school without contacting and verifying with an adult.
• 911 will be called in the event of a medical emergency. The school will then attempt to make contact with the parent or guardian listed.

If your child has been diagnosed with a health condition, please contact the school's health office to discuss when your child will be able to return to school.

 Please refer to the Infectious Diseases in Childcare Settings and Schools for more information on specific health conditions and exclusion guidelines for the specific communicable conditions such as...

• strep throat
• pertussis
• ringworm
• chickenpox
• fifth disease
• lice
• many other conditions

Reporting Absences

 Absences must be reported to the school to be considered an excused absence. Report your child's absence each day your child is ill by calling the attendance line at the school. Please report the child’s name, teacher or grade and reason for the absence. If your child is ill, report the symptoms and/or any diagnosed communicable condition.

• • Brooklyn Center Elementary School Attendance Line: 763-561-4480 x6500

  • Brooklyn Center Middle and High School Attendance Line: 763-450-3383

  • Early College Academy Attendance Line: (763) 450-3383

Please contact the school Health Office if your child has any injury or illness that will require modifications in his or her school day prior to returning to school.

If your child is absent and the school has not received notification of the absence, the school will send an automatic message to the designated contact person.

If you would like to report an absence via ParentVue, please click here. 

If a student or staff member does test positive for COVID-19, we ask that you notify the district health team by filling out the COVID-19 Reporting Form or call the School Nurse office. 

Physical Education excusal

Please send a request to the teacher if your child needs to be excused from physical education. Written instructions are required from the student's physician if the student is to be excused for more than one day.

Recess excusal

Please send a request to the teacher if your child needs to stay indoors for recess. Written instructions are required from the student's physician if the student is to be excused for more than two days.