McMeen Elementary

Good Afternoon McMeen Families!

  As we settle into the fall semester of a new school year, I'd like to take a moment to remind everyone of common infections/illnesses we start seeing this time of year and give some guidance on how to navigate them.

  1. Lice:

              - They are very small insects that feed off of human blood from the scalp of an infected human. 

              - According to the CDC, every year, there are approximately 6-12 million cases of lice in the U.S. in children ages 3-11 years old.

              - The good news is that they do NOT carry or spread diseases and they do not NOT jump or fly. 

              - The bad news is that lice don't care if your hair is clean or dirty and they cause much discomfort to the infected person and

                   getting rid of them can be hard.

              - Lice does not discriminate: Lice can infect anyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, race or creed.

              - The best way to decrease the chance of your child getting lice is frequent reminders to no touch heads with others and to not

                  share hair accessories, hats or brushes. 

             - If you child has lice, they may attend school, but it is advised/asked that treatment be completed in the evening of the first day of

                  detection. Lice treatments are available in most grocery store pharmacies and are sold over the counter. 

2.  Respiratory Illnesses (Covid, Influenza, Colds, etc.)

            - Fall is always the beginning of cold/flu season. It's important and advised that students and their families get their covid and flu

                  shots as soon as possible. (See the attached flyer for information on our Free In-School Immunization Clinic happening on

                    October!)

           - Students and staff with a fever (100.4 degrees F/ 38 degrees C) should stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours

                    WITHOUT fever-reducing medications.

          - Students and staff with coughs/runny noses that are otherwise okay to be at school (no fever) are advised to wear a mask to

                     prevent the spread to others.

3.  Gastrointestinal Illnesses (Norovirus, etc.)

            - Students and staff experiencing vomiting and/or diarrhea without being related to a known food consumption condition (lactose

                intolerance, etc.) should stay home for 48 hours and until their vomiting/diarrhea has stopped or has been cleared by a medical

                 professional. 

         - Students and staff with a fever (100.4 degrees F/ 38 degrees C) should stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours

                    WITHOUT fever-reducing medications.

*** Please know that most respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses are manageable at home, however, if your student needs to stay home for 3 school days or more, in a row, you may be asked to provide a doctor's note due to the prolonged illness absences. 

Thank you and In Wellness,