• When Should My Child Stay Home Sick?

    The health professionals at the Washoe County School District’s Student Health Services Department are dedicated to keeping students healthy and learning-ready.

    With 63,000 students and more than 7,000 staff members spending time at Washoe County schools each day, keeping the school environment safe and healthy can be quite a challenge. There are always germs being passed around from person to person, in the classroom, the cafeteria, on the bus, and every other area of the campus.

    We can’t eliminate germs entirely, but by working together with parents and families, we can reduce the spread of illness, improve attendance, increase graduation rates, and give each student the best opportunity to become a successful and healthy adult.

    When Should My Child Stay Home?

    Your child should stay home from school if she/he:
    • has an undiagnosed fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, vomiting or diarrhea
    • has an undiagnosed skin rash
    • has purulent (green or yellow) drainage from eyes, nose, or ears
    • has tested positive for COVID-19 (lab or home test)
    • has a sore throat
    • appears mildly ill and is unable to participate in normal school activities
    • needs more care than can be provided by school staff

    Click here to review the illness self-screening tool.

    When Can My Child Return to School?

    Please contact the Health Office at your child's school.

    The Washoe County School District follows the recommendations of the Washoe County Health District for the management of communicable diseases.