Health Office

Hello, Beaver Community,

If you're new here, welcome; if you're returning, welcome back! We hope your first week is off to a great start!

This email shares important information for you to know about returning to campus after having any type of illness, what our guidelines are, and a few reminders including forms in Magnus and medication information.

If you have any questions please contact the school nurse, Talia Ossowski at tossowski@bcdschool.org.

Guidelines for returning to campus after short-term and respiratory illness (one week or less)

Beaver's health guidelines for 2024-2025 are aligned with the latest guidelines from the CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Health, DESE, and discussions with our consulting physician.

For the health and safety of the BVR community, it is important to stay home even if you don’t know what virus is making you sick.

Respiratory Virus (flu, COVID, common cold, etc)

• Fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication
• Symptoms significantly reduce, or resolve
• It is recommended to wear a mask until symptoms completely resolve
• If you have new symptoms of a respiratory virus, such as a fever, sore throat, cough, or a runny or stuffy nose, you should stay home and stay away from others in your household. View more information and recommendations in the BVR health guidelines.

Stomach virus

• No active vomiting or diarrhea episodes for 24 hours, unless episodes are known to be caused by a non-communicable condition 

Fever 

• When fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication 

Rash  

• A physician has determined the illness is not a communicable disease.
• Rash completely resolved

Communicable illness needing antibiotics (strep, mono, pink eye, etc.)

• After being on prescribed antibiotics for 24 hours

A few best practices and reminders

The best way to stay healthy, and reduce the spread of communicable illness is to:

• Stay home even if you don’t know what virus is making you sick
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer
• Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow when coughing or sneezing
• Wearing a mask when you still have a cough or runny nose and are in public
• Avoid touching your face 
• Stay hydrated
• Make healthy choices: healthy diet, adequate rest, and regular exercise

Thank you for doing your part to keep our community healthy. Please feel free to reach out to the Health Office with questions. We are looking forward to this year!

Talia Ossowski, NP

School Nurse

Rick Wilson

Director of Counseling and Health Services