Care Room

In school, where colds and other minor ailments are commonplace, it is essential to try to prevent the spread of contagious diseases to other children and their families. Therefore, we ask parents to keep sick children at home where they can be given the extra care and attention they need. Please do not send your children to school if they are sick.

Students should show overall improvement in symptoms before returning to school. Children who have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea must remain home until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours without the use of medication.

If your child has been prescribed antibiotics for a contagious illness, they must remain home for a full 24 hours after treatment begins. Students may not return to school in the middle of the day once the 24-hour period has elapsed.

Please note that even after 24 hours of treatment, the school may require a child to remain home if they continue to exhibit symptoms of a communicable illness that could pose a risk to others.

If your child is absent due to illness for five or more consecutive school days, a note from their healthcare provider is required upon their return.

If your child will be absent for travel or personal reasons, please notify both your child’s teacher and the Care Room in writing as soon as possible.

• Fever with a temperature of 100°F or greater
• Persistent cough 
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing 
• Sore throat 
• Congestion or a runny nose 
• Nausea or vomiting within the last 24 hours
• Diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Inflamed/pink eyes (may be conjunctivitis)
• Unusual lethargy or weepiness 
• Muscle or body aches 
• Headache (that is impairing the ability to be at school) 

The school requires notification if a child at GMWS has a communicable disease, such as:

• respiratory illness (covid-19, RSV, flu)     
• scabies
• strep throat                                                  
• impetigo
• pink eye (conjunctivitis)                              
• pinworm
• coxsackie (hand, foot, & mouth disease)       
• ringworm            
• chicken pox

Green Meadow Waldorf School’s respiratory illness protocols are aligned with the CDC’s respiratory virus recommendations and are subject to change. If a faculty member, staff member, or student has tested positive for a respiratory virus: 

They can return to school when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:

• Their symptoms are getting better overall, and
• They have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication).

When returning to school, take added precautions over the next five days, such as hand hygiene, masking, and physical distancing when around others.

Pink Eye:

The child is excluded from school for 24 hours after the initiation of treatment. Please see the above policy regarding visible symptoms in the classroom. 

Strep Throat, Scarlet Fever: 

The child is excluded from school for 24 hours after the initiation of treatment. They can return to school when they have been fever-free for 24 hours without over-the-counter medication, and their symptoms are improving.

Chicken Pox: 

The child is excluded from school until all blisters are dried and crusted. A physician’s clearance is required to return to school. 

Impetigo, scabies, pinworm, ringworm, coxsackie (hand, foot, mouth disease): 

The child is excluded from school until judged noninfectious by a physician. 

Please email nurse@gmws.org or call x307 immediately so the community may be informed of any contagious illness.

New York State requires that all students must have up-to-date medical and immunization records. New York State law requires full inoculation against hepatitis B, polio, MMR, varicella and DTaP for all, plus Hib, pneumococcal or meningococcal depending on the grade level of the child.

Titers are accepted for MMR, Varicella and Hepatitis B. All other vaccinations require proof of immunization. MMR titers must show immunity to all three diseases, not just measles. Polio titers are acceptable only if they show immunity to all three serotypes. Since 2017, serotype 2 titers are not available in the US, so polio titers are essentially only accepted if they were drawn before 2017 or were drawn overseas where the testing is still available. Titers are NOT acceptable for DPT.

If a child has a medical exemption to immunization, a physician licensed to practice medicine in New York State must certify that the immunization is detrimental to the child’s health. The medical exemption should specify which immunization is detrimental to the child’s health, provide information as to why the immunization is contraindicated based on current accepted medical practice, and specify the length of time the immunization is medically contraindicated, if known. The physician is required to use the New York State Department of Health Medical Exemption Statement form. This must be renewed yearly, in order to comply with state regulations, we request that the appropriate medical records be in our office before the child attends school. Children may not be permitted to attend school unless their health records are in order.

Medication Administration at School

No medication will be administered at school without the appropriate completed forms on file. This includes both prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Medications for Life-Threatening Conditions

Students with life-threatening allergies may carry and self-administer epinephrine when authorized in writing by their healthcare provider. An Allergy Action Plan, completed and signed by both the parent/guardian and healthcare provider, must be submitted to the School Nurse.

Students with asthma may carry and self-administer an inhaler when authorized by their healthcare provider. An Asthma Action Plan, completed and signed by both the parent/guardian and healthcare provider, must be submitted to the School Nurse.

Please contact the School Nurse with any questions regarding medication administration or required health forms.

• An Allergy and Anaphylaxis Plan is required for students who have a life-threatening allergy, listing the allergies and emergency medications to be administered. All medication must be kept in the Care Room unless a health care provider has granted written permission for the student to carry and use the medicine at school. All forms or doctor’s notes must be renewed yearly. 
• An Asthma Action Plan is required for students who have asthma and will be using an inhaler or nebulizer at school, listing the severity, triggers, and all medications. All medication must be kept in the Care Room unless a health care provider has granted written permission for the student to carry and use the medicine at school. All forms or doctor’s notes must be renewed yearly. 
• A Diabetic Medical Management Plan is required for students who have a diagnosis of diabetes.
• A Seizure Action Plan is required for students who have a seizure diagnosis. This plan provides instructions for seizure management in the event of a seizure in school.