Chickenpox is a contagious viral illness that causes an itchy rash, fever, and tiredness. It is often mild in children but can be more serious for infants, adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Keep your child home if they have a rash, fever, or blisters. Children may return to school once all blisters have crusted over, usually in about 5–7 days. Please contact your school nurse if your student has been diagnosed with chicken pox for next steps.

For more information, please visit  Florida Health Varicella (Chicken Pox)

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that causes fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a spreading rash. Keep your child home if they have measles‑like symptoms or have been diagnosed with measles, as it spreads very easily. Children may return to school only with approval from a healthcare provider or public health officials, typically after they are no longer contagious.  Please contact your school nurse if your student has been diagnosed with Measles, for next steps.

For more information, please visit Florida Health Measles

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by bacteria. It often begins with cold‑like symptoms such as a runny nose, mild cough, and low‑grade fever, followed by episodes of severe coughing that may include a “whooping” sound or vomiting after coughing. Students diagnosed with pertussis must be excluded from school due to the risk of spreading the infection. A student may return to school after completing 5 full days of appropriate antibiotic treatment. Please contact your school nurse if your student has been diagnosed with Meningitis, for next steps.

For more information, please visit Florida Health Pertussis

COVID‑19 is a respiratory illness caused by a virus and can include symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, or congestion. Keep your student home if they have COVID‑like symptoms, a fever, or a positive COVID‑19 test. Students may return to school when symptoms are improving and they have been fever‑free for 24 hours without medicine, or as advised by their healthcare provider or school health staff.

For more information, please visit Florida Health Covid-19

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that affect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. It can range from mild to severe and spreads easily at school through coughing, sneezing, talking, and shared surfaces. Keep your student home if they have flu‑like symptoms, a fever, or have tested positive for the flu. A student may return to school after being fever‑free for at least 24 hours without fever‑reducing medication and when symptoms have improved enough to participate in school activities.

For more information, please visit Florida Health Influenza

Strep throat is a contagious bacterial infection of the throat caused by Group A Streptococcus. Common symptoms include a sore throat, fever, swollen glands, headache, and sometimes stomach pain or rash. Students with suspected or confirmed strep throat should be excluded from school until treatment has begun. A student may return to school after at least 24 hours of appropriate antibiotic treatment, if they are fever‑free without the use of fever‑reducing medication and feeling well enough to participate in school activities.

For more information, please visit CDC Group A Strep Infection

Pink eye is a common eye condition that causes redness, itching, irritation, and sometimes discharge. It can be caused by a virus, bacteria, allergies, or irritation. Keep your child home if they have eye redness with yellow or green discharge, eyes that are crusted shut, or symptoms such as pain, swelling, or light sensitivity. Students may usually return to school once drainage has stopped and, if prescribed, treatment has started or symptoms have improved. Please contact a member of the school health team if your student has been diagnosed with Pink Eye, for next steps.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (coxsackie virus) is a common viral illness that causes fever, sore throat, and a rash or blisters on the hands, feet, and in or around the mouth. Keep your child home if they have a fever, mouth sores with drooling, or open blisters, or if they feel unwell and cannot participate in school activities. Children may return to school once they are fever‑free for 24 hours, feel well enough to attend, and blisters are drying or healing. Please contact a member of the school health team if your student has been diagnosed with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, for next steps.

For more information, please visit CDC Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Fifth Disease (Parvovirus B19)

Fifth disease is a common viral illness in children that often causes mild cold‑like symptoms followed by a red “slapped‑cheek” rash and sometimes a lacy rash on the body. Keep your student home if they have a fever, feel unwell, or have early symptoms before the rash appears. Students may return to school once fever‑free for 24 hours and feeling well, as the illness is usually no longer contagious after the rash develops.

For more information, please visit CDC Fifth Disease

Hepatitis A is a contagious viral infection that affects the liver and can cause symptoms such as fever, tiredness, stomach pain, nausea, and yellowing of the skin or eyes. Keep your child home if they have symptoms of Hepatitis A or have been diagnosed with the illness. Children may return to school only with approval from their healthcare provider or public health official. Please contact your school nurse if your student has been diagnosed with Hepatitis A, for next steps.

For more information, please visit Florida Health Hepatitis A

Meningitis is a serious illness that causes inflammation around the brain and spinal cord and can be caused by viruses or bacteria, with symptoms such as fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea, and sensitivity to light. Keep your child home immediately and seek medical care if meningitis is suspected or diagnosed. Students may return to school only with clearance from a healthcare provider or public health officials. Please contact your school nurse if your student has been diagnosed with Meningitis, for next steps.

For more information, please visit Florida Health Meningitis

Head lice are tiny insects that live on the scalp and hair and may cause itching. Classroom lice checks are not conducted, and students with live lice do not need to be sent home early; they may remain in class while avoiding head‑to‑head contact, go home at the end of the day, receive treatment, and return to school once appropriate treatment has begun, even if some nits remain.

For more information, please visit Florida Health Head Lice

MRSA (Methicillin‑Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a type of bacteria that can cause skin infections such as red, swollen, painful bumps that may drain pus. Keep your student home if they have an open or draining wound that cannot be fully covered with a clean, dry bandage, or if the infection is worsening. Students may return to school when the wound can be securely covered, drainage has stopped, and any prescribed treatment has started, as advised by a healthcare provider or school health staff.

For more information, please visit Florida Health MRSA

Impetigo is a common, contagious bacterial skin infection that causes red sores or blisters, often around the nose, mouth, or hands, which may ooze and form a honey‑colored crust. Keep your child home if they have open or draining sores or if impetigo is suspected. Children may return to school after 24 hours of antibiotic treatment and when sores can be covered and are no longer draining.

For more information, please visit CDC About Impetigo

Pinworm: For more information, please visit CDC pinworm

Scabies: For more information, please visit CDC scabies

Ringworm (Tinea Infections): For more information, please visit CDC ringworm