Policies - Communicable Diseases

In view of the development of skin cancer, the wearing of hats for outdoor activities is compulsory.  The school policy is "no hat no play" from 1st September to 31st May.
Students are instructed that they must wear their school hat (labelled with their full name) in the school grounds during recess periods and in outside school directed activities.

"At Risk" conditions (eg bee sting allergies, asthma etc):  Please ensure that these are listed on the Admission Card and if necessary complete an Emergency Action Plan, which will be kept in the office.

Communicable Diseases - There are a number of communicable diseases that require exclusion from school for a defined period of time:

a)    While the child is suffering from early symptoms or during the incubation period.

b)    When convalescing from the disease but still retaining infection in their person or apparel.

Chicken Pox:  Exclude until fully recovered, or until at least five (5) days after the eruption first appears.  Some remaining scabs do not justify continued exclusion.
Contacts:  Any children with immune deficiencies (eg. leukemia) or receiving chemotherapy should be excluded for their own protection.  Otherwise do not exclude.

Conjunctivitis:  Exclude until discharge from eyes has ceased.
Contacts:  Do not exclude.

Herpes:  Young children unable to comply with good hygiene practices should be excluded while lesion is weeping.  Dressing should cover lesions, where possible.
Contacts:  Do not exclude.

Impetigo: (School Sores):  Exclude until effective treatment (including the proper use of occlusive    dressings) has been instituted.
Contacts:  Do not exclude.

Measles: (notifiable) Exclude; readmit on medical certificate of recovery, or at least four (4) days after appearance of the rash if well.
Contacts:  Do not exclude immunised contacts.  (All children should be immunised against measles, preferably at 12 months of age and certainly before entry into preschool or day care centre unless they have had the disease.)  Unimmunised contacts should be excluded for 14 days after the appearance of the rash in the last case identified in the school, unless contact was immunised within 72 hours of first exposure.
If a case of measles is suspected the school is required to notify the appropriate Health Authority.

Mumps: (Notifiable) Exclude for at least nine (9) days after onset of symptoms.
Contacts:  Not to be excluded from school.  Recommend immunisation if not vaccinated.
If a case of mumps is suspected the school is required to notify the appropriate Health Authority.

Pediculosis: (Head Lice) Exclude until day after treatment has commenced and nits have been removed from hair.  Note – Head lice infestation does not transmit disease.
Contacts:  Do not exclude.  Family contacts will probably be infected and should be treated.  Other close contacts should be checked regularly for signs of infestation.
Please check your child/ren's hair on a weekly basis.

Ringworm: Exclude until the day after treatment has commenced.
Contacts:  Not to be excluded from school.

Rubella: (German Measles) Exclude; readmit on recovery or four (4) days after onset of rash.
Contacts:  Not to be excluded from school.

Whooping Cough:  Exclude for 2 weeks from onset of illness or for 5 days after starting antibiotic treatment.
Contacts:  Exclude family contacts aged less than 7 years for 14 days after the last exposure to infection, or until they have received 5 days of a 14-day course of antibiotics.

IMMUNISATION

A copy of your child’s immunisation records will be required at enrolment and may be requested by the School Nurse at a future date to check that children are fully immunised for their relevant age.