Q&A for Parents

What are the symptoms of COVID-19 that require school exclusion?

Per the CDC and NYS Department of Health:

  • Fever (100.0) or chills

  • Cough

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

  • Fatigue

  • Muscle or body aches

  • Headache

  • New loss of taste or smell

  • Sore throat

  • Congestion or runny nose

  • Nausea or vomiting

  • Diarrhea


What is isolation?

Isolation applies to individuals with a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19. It involves the diagnosed person having no interaction with other members of the household. The person must have their own bathroom and a door to their quarters. Meals are delivered to the room. This is difficult in a private residence, and may be impossible if the person in isolation is a young child.

Per the NYS DOH guidelines, a person diagnosed with COVID-19 must isolate for 10 days after the onset of their symptoms OR 10 days from the date they were tested (if they were asymptomatic).


What is quarantine?

Quarantine applies to individuals exposed to a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, or who have recently traveled internationally or in states with widespread COVID-19 transmission. People in quarantine feel well, but may be pre-symptomatic. A person in quarantine must monitor themselves closely to determine if they have developed symptoms of COVID-19. The person must have their own bathroom or clean the bathroom between each use. They must sleep in a separate room from anyone not in quarantine, in case symptoms develop at night. If they develop symptoms, they must be tested and start an isolation period.

Per the NYS DOH guidelines, a contact must quarantine for 14 days after their date of last contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19. If a person has ongoing contact with a case during their isolation period, they must quarantine for the case’s 10-day isolation period, plus an additional 14 days (potential 24-day quarantine).


What happens if my child gets sick?

If your child develops any symptoms of COVID-19 at school, as defined by the CDC and NYS Department of Health above, they will be evaluated by a nurse, placed in an isolation room, and a parent/guardian will be called to pick them up. We expect that you will be available to answer a call from the school at all times during the day, and will pick up your child within one hour of contact. Young children and children requiring ongoing nursing care will be accompanied into isolation by a nurse. Older children will be visually monitored by a nurse while in isolation.

Any child sent home with COVID-like-symptoms must have the following to return to school:

  1. A negative COVID-19 molecular test

  2. At least one day symptom free without the use of medication

*Please note that a doctor's note may also be required.


What if my child develops symptoms at home?

If your child develops symptoms of COVID-19 at home, we expect that you will keep them home from school and contact the nurse.

Any child who experiences COVID-like-symptoms must have the following to return to school:

  1. A negative COVID-19 molecular test

  2. At least one day symptom free without the use of medication

*Please note that a doctor's note may also be required.


What if a parent or household member (including caregiver) develops symptoms of COVID-19?

If a household member becomes symptomatic, the student must quarantine until the primary contact is tested and receives negative results. Students may not attend school if a household member has a pending evaluation or test for COVID-19 based on the presence of symptoms.


What if a parent or household member tests positive for COVID-19?

That household member must isolate for 10 days after the onset of their symptoms OR 10 days from the date they are tested. Any close or proximate contacts (including all household members) must quarantine away from the primary contact for 14 days from the date of last contact. If the student is not able to quarantine away from the parent or household member, the student could potentially require a quarantine lasting up to 24 days.


I have more than one child in the school. What happens to a sibling if the other gets sick?

If you have more than one child in the school and are called to pick up one sick child, you will be required to take all children home, and stay at home, until the primary contact has a negative COVID-19 test and written medical clearance from a healthcare provider.


What if my child travels internationally or to another state?

Be prepared that they may have to quarantine for 14 days when they return depending on the location. Any international travel to a CDC designated level 2 or 3 country requires a quarantine period. Any domestic travel to a location listed on the NYS restricted travel list also requires a quarantine period. These lists change frequently. Please inform the nurse of your child’s travel dates and location prior to departure so that we may monitor their quarantine.


What if a parent or household member travels internationally or to another state without the student?

The household member may need to quarantine for 14 days when they return depending on the location. The child may continue to attend school if the household member is fully quarantining from their family (as outlined above). If the household member becomes symptomatic during their quarantine, the student and any other close contacts would then need to quarantine until the primary contact is tested and receives negative results.


What if a student or teacher in my child’s class is diagnosed with COVID-19?

The school will contact trace all positive COVID-19 cases within the campus. You will be notified immediately if your child is a close or proximate contact in school of anyone who is diagnosed with COVID-19. Due to privacy laws, we cannot inform you of the name of the person diagnosed, only that your child had contact with someone now diagnosed with COVID-19. Any close or proximate contacts will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their date of last contact with the positive person. This will likely mean that the entire class will be home for up to 14 days, depending on the primary contact’s school attendance.

We will require you to quarantine for this period and not travel, interact with other members of the school community, or schedule play dates or group learning pods.

We will also notify the Department of Health of the diagnoses, and they will gather more information so the New York Trace and Test Corps can contact trace within the broader community.


What if a student or teacher in my child’s class has symptoms of COVID-19

You will not be notified if a community member experienced symptoms until we receive documentation of a positive COVID-19 test. There are many reasons why a student could be sent home and due to protection of privacy we will not disclose this information.


What if my child has seasonal allergies and is coughing or congested?

Cough and congestion are both symptoms on the list of COVID-19 symptoms. For any new onset or new worsening of symptoms, we are required by the NYS Department of Health to isolate and refer the student for testing.

To avoid this situation, we strongly recommend that you talk to your pediatrician regarding starting your child on daily allergy medications to prevent these symptoms before they start.


What if my child has already had COVID-19?

At this point, the research is unclear if a person can contract COVID-19 multiple times, though there have been case reports to suggest that it is possible. As a result, you will be required to follow the isolation, testing and return to school procedures outlined above, even if your child was diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past or has a positive antibody report.