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Communicable Illness Guide

Guidelines for Student and Staff

Communicable Illness Examples:  Common cold, influenza, Covid-19, Stomach Virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Whooping Cough, Strep, Pink Eye, Chicken Pox, Mononucleosis, Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Midland ISD Exclusions from School for Health Reasons

We feel very strongly at Midland ISD that good attendance is extremely important to your child’s success at school.  To protect all children from communicable illnesses, students infected with certain diseases are not allowed to come to school while they are contagious. Contact your campus nurse if you are unsure whether or not your child should return to school. 

1. A student with any of the following symptoms will be excluded from school until such time as the student’s symptoms have improved, has been satisfactorily treated or submits a signed physician’s statement that he/she is not contagious.  

  • Temperature of 100 degrees or more. Student must be fever free for 24 hours without medication the aid of fever reducing medication before returning to school

  • Signs or symptoms of acute illness, serious accident/injury

  • Undetermined rash over any part of the body accompanied by fever

  • Mouth sores and drooling until a physician does not feel the condition is infectious.  

  • Asthma symptoms that do not respond to prescribed medication or no prescribed medication is available at school for treatment of asthma symptoms 

  • Nausea and Vomiting- Vomiting (not related to a single event such as gagging, positioning, mucus, running after eating, eating spicy foods, or chronic conditions). Student must be symptom free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.  

  • Covid and Flu are contagious viral respiratory illnesses which may cause your student to be sick for a few days.  Students and staff may return to school when fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever suppressing medication and symptoms have improved.  Students and staff no longer have to quarantine or isolate with Covid.  We do encourage everyone to wear a mask for 5 days with return to school.   

  • Diarrhea of two or more loose watery stools. Student should be diarrhea free for 24 hours without the use of diarrhea suppressing medication before returning to school  

  • Pink eye or purulent conjunctivitis (defined as pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge). Not all conjunctivitis is contagious. The student must receive treatment for 24 hours before returning to school or provide a note from a health care provider stating that the condition is not contagious and the student may return to school.

  • Students with Lice and nits will not be excluded from school based on recommendations from Texas DSHS and the CDC. 

  • If a child has chickenpox, then exclusion is until after lesions become dry and scabbed over and until 24 hours have passed with no new lesions.

  • Ringworm does not require exclusion if the infected area can be completely covered by clothing/bandage; otherwise, students must be excluded until treatment has begun.

2. If a student becomes ill during the school day, he/she must see the school nurse. If it is determined that the student needs to leave campus due to illness or injury, the parent/guardian will be called. 

3. For readmission, some diseases may require a statement from the student’s physician affirming that the student is not contagious.  

4. In the event of a student medical emergency, school personnel may call 911. The student may be transported to a medical facility via ambulance for treatment. The cost of services provided by ambulance, private physician, clinic, hospital, or dentist will remain the responsibility of the parent/guardian and will not be assumed by Midland Independent School District or school district personnel. 

5. Masks are not required to be worn at school and will not be provided but may be worn by choice.

6. Students who are absent from school will follow regular attendance guidelines as outlined by the Midland ISD Student Handbook. 

Student Absences

Information on student absences related to illnesses can be found in the 2023-24 Student Handbook under the following sections.

  • Documentation after an Absence (All Grade Levels) pg. 29

  • Doctor’s Note after an Absence for Illness (All Grade Levels) pg. 30

  • Certification of Absence Due to Severe Illness or Treatment pg. 30

MISD Employee Absences

Midland ISD employees can refer to the 2023-2024 Employee Handbook in the section “Leave and Absences” on page 24.  Questions concerning employee absences should be directed to Benefits at the District Service Center.

Preventative Measures

  • Handwashing-Wash hands frequently with soap and water to help prevent the spread of germs. 

  • Use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available

  • Cover you cough and sneeze with a tissue or your sleeve

  • Avoid sharing food and drinks 

  • Clean and disinfect common areas in your home

  • Stay up to date on vaccinations

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick

  • Stay home when you are sick

  • Wear a mask at home if you are sick and around family

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands