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Help Prevent the Spread of Illness

Posted Date: 12/17/25 (09:16 AM)
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Keeping Our School Community Healthy

December 17, 2025

Influenza Season

Dear Ellensburg School District Families,
With influenza and other illnesses currently circulating in our community, we are asking for your help in keeping students and staff healthy by keeping your student home from school when they are ill.

Please keep your student home if they have any of the following:
  • Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher: Students should remain home until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen.
  • Vomiting or diarrhea: Students should stay home until at least 24 hours after the last episode.

We recommend your student stay home if they have:
  • Persistent cough, difficulty breathing, or chest pain
  • Other symptoms of influenza such as body aches, headache, fatigue, sore throat, and cough
  • Any illness that prevents your child from participating comfortably in school activities

If your child is diagnosed with influenza, please follow your healthcare provider’s guidance and keep them home until symptoms have significantly improved and they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

How families can help prevent the spread of illness:
  • Encourage frequent handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • Teach your student to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow
  • Keep hands away from the face, especially the eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home
  • Influenza vaccination is available through community healthcare providers and healthcare partners

We understand that keeping students home can be inconvenient, but doing so when they are sick protects your child, their classmates, and our staff. Thank you for helping us keep our schools healthy and safe.
 
If you have questions or need guidance, please contact your school’s health room.

Erica Libenow, BSN, RN
District Nurse
Ellensburg School District