Wellness at GCS

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Fostering Health and Wellness at GCS

The health and safety of our children, families and staff is one of our most important priorities at Groton Community School.  Please refer to the following information regarding symptoms and illness for your child, or that someone else in your family is experiencing.  We are available for any questions you may have at any time!

The Director, Assistant Director, and all teaching staff maintain current training in Pediatric and Adult First Aid, and there are many staff on site at any given time trained in CPR.  The front lobby has an AED in the event of an emergency.

Families are encouraged to relay any health-related information to our wellness@grotoncommunityschool.org email, as well as notifying your child’s classroom teachers.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping us all heathy at school!

Child Illness Policy

When to Stay Home:

A general rule of thumb is that children should not attend school until they are fever free for at least 24 hours (without fever-reducing medication), and do not have an illness that is contagious, prevents the child from participating in the program activities or resting comfortably, or results in greater care need than the staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of the other children. If your child is instructed to take an antibiotic, he or she may return to school after taking the medicine for 24 hours.

Please notify the school if your child is not feeling well.  We ask that you keep your child home if she/he has:

  • Signs of severe illness (i.e., unresponsive, irritable/crying more than usual, difficulty breathing, quickly spreading rash)
  • Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher) or has had one during the previous 24 hours
  • Bad cold with heavy nasal discharge
  • Constant cough (unknown origin)
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomited 2 or more times in the past 24 hours
  • Noticeable rash (unknown origin)
  • Communicable illness (please refer to full Child Illness Policy)
  • COVID-19, Flu or RSV symptoms

Guidance on COVID-19, Flu or RSV symptoms can be found at www.mass.gov/info-details/protect-yourself-and-others-from-getting-sick. Please consult with your child’s pediatrician and test for COVID-19 or Flu when applicable.  Our COVID-19 & GCS policy can be found on the school website (www.grotoncommunityschool.org/covid-19-gcs).  GCS reserves the right to create its own COVID-19 policy for what is best for our school community.  Current protocols for symptoms, isolation and exposure are informed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, local boards of health, and our state licensing agency.  All GCS staff are strongly encouraged to be up-to-date for COVID-19 vaccination, and we gladly welcome vaccination for children.

Please notify the school immediately if your child has a communicable illness (please refer to full Child Illness Policy) so that other parents may be informed to monitor their children for symptoms.  Returning to school after a communicable illness is dependent on the specific illness, and further information will be provided to families.

View our full Child Illness Policy for more information.