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Vestavia Hills City Schools

Learning Without Limits

When to Keep Your Child at Home

When to Keep Your Child at Home

Many minor illnesses or injuries may not require students to miss school. However, certain illnesses do necessitate their absence, both for your child's safety and the well-being of other students and staff. Conditions warranting a school absence include, but are not limited to:

  • Temperature higher than 100 degrees (student must stay home for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication)
  • Vomiting within the last 12 hours
  • Unexplained diarrhea 
  • Untreated conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
  • An injury or illness that requires intensive medical monitoring
  • Adverse side effects from medication that requires monitoring
  • Untreated head lice

Some contagious conditions have specific requirements regarding when a student can return to school, such as strep throat, the flu, and COVID-19. If you are uncertain about whether your child should attend school due to an illness, please consult your child's healthcare provider or your school nurse. We aim to partner with you in promoting the highest level of wellness for every student in our school community.