October 22, 2020
Helpful info for elementary parents as students come back full-time
All of Ankeny Community School District’s PK-5th grade students returned to learn in person, full time on October 19th. In order to keep our Ankeny students, staff and families safe and healthy, we will be continuing to redefine what a “normal” school day looks like.
We realize families may need to make difficult decisions between sending students to school vs. keeping them home/parent missing work. In order to keep our students and staff as healthy as possible, we ask that you consider these things before sending your child to school.
- If your child complains of any 1 of the following symptoms, please keep them home and contact your health care provider: new cough, shortness of breath, fever of 100.4 or higher, new loss of taste or smell.
- If your child complains of 2 or more of the following symptoms, please keep them home from school: fever, headache, muscle/body aches, fatigue, sore throat, runny nose, congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Due to the wide range of signs and symptoms of Covid-19, and for the safety of all, students will need to be sent home if they display these symptoms.
- If your child exhibits these symptoms at school, your child will be taken to a room that has been established for students/staff that are exhibiting Covid-19 related symptoms. This is to ensure safety from other students who would use the nurse’s office for non-Covid related reasons.
- If you are notified by health office staff that your student is ill at school, please plan to pick up your student as soon as possible. We would ask that you also have a back-up plan so that ill students can be picked up as quickly as possible if you are not available.
- We ask that you contact your Primary Health Care provider for more guidance on how to proceed with your student’s health needs prior to returning if your student is sent home. We will provide instructions per Polk County Health Department for proper home isolation and quarantine, if warranted. Students sent home ill will need to be out of school the following day (does not apply if sent home on a Friday) to be monitored. Students may return to school once the presenting symptoms have subsided for 24 hours, if they have an alternate diagnosis from a doctor, or a negative Covid test.
As said many times, this is a fluid and flexible situation that can change at any point. We will continue to work closely with the Polk County Health Department.
If you have questions, please contact your building’s nurse to discuss.
Stay safe and be well!
