Toileting Procedure

• Children may use the toilet at any time during the school day.
• The bathroom door may be closed for privacy, however, a qualified member of the staff must be within hearing distance while a child is in the bathroom alone.
• All children must wash their hands (using proper procedure) with soap and running water after toileting.
• The staff will assist with toilet training in accordance with parents' requests.
• Whenever a staff member changes a child's clothes or assists with toileting or dressing (except  footwear or outdoor clothing) in any way, he/she will document the incident under the "Incident" section of the Daily Log Book.

The following is our plan for supervising children during the scheduled toileting and hand washing time for Extended Day.

• Two teachers take groups of four to six children each to the two bathrooms off the Gross Motor Room.  The children remain with the teachers until everyone is finished and return with the teachers as a group to the lunch area.
• One teacher takes the remaining children to the bathroom off the Creativity Room where they remain until everyone is ready to return to the lunch area.

AT NO TIME WILL A CHILD BE IN THE BATHROOM ALONE WITH A STAFF MEMBER WITH THE DOOR CLOSED!!!

Illness and Emergency Procedures

• The child's parent is called.
• The child is taken to a quit area in the classroom to rest and wait for a parent.  A teacher qualified staff member waits with the child and encourages the other children to play in another area of the room.

Emergency

• The Director comforts the child and administers first aid.  
• The Head Teacher cares for the rest of the children in an area away from the injured child.
• A designated teacher calls for an ambulance, then calls the parent, then assists the Director or Head Teacher as necessary.
• The Director accompanies the child in the ambulance, taking along the child's entire file.

Procedures to be followed if the parents cannot be reached

• The emergency telephone number listed on the Face Sheet of the child's record is called.
• The child is taken to a quiet area to rest and await transportation.

Emergency

• The Head Teacher cares for the rest of the children in an area away from the injured child.
• A designated teacher calls for an ambulance, then calls the emergency contact listed on the Emergency Medical Consent Form of the child's record, then assists the Director or Head Teacher as necessary.
• The Director accompanies the child in the ambulance, taking along the child's entire file.

Field Trip Illness or Emergency Procedures

• Band-Aids
• antiseptic spray
• 4x4 sterile gauze pads
• adhesive tape
• sling
• latex or vinyl gloves
• Emergency Card Information Forms
• Allergy List
• Instant cold pack
• Syrup of Ipecac

Procedures

• The person in charge of the group comforts the child and administers first aid or contacts the person in charge of first aid on location. 
• The teacher or teaching assistant calls for an ambulance if necessary, then calls the parent if necessary.
• The person in charge accompanies the child in the ambulance if the parent is not present.  If the parent is present, the parent accompanies the child.
• The teacher and parents supervise the rest of the children.
• The teacher and the parents accompany the children back to school.

Management of Infectious Diseases

The Good Shepherd does not make provisions for keeping and caring for mildly ill children in school.  They are always sent home.

While waiting transportation home:

• The child rests in a quiet area supervised by a teacher qualified staff member who meets the criteria specified in 102 CMR 7.21 (2)(b).
• The other children will be directed to play in an area of the room which is away from the ill child.
• Disposable cups will be used for the ill child.
• Staff members will wear disposable latex gloves when handling any body fluids or waste products.
• Body fluids will be cleaned up using latex gloves, disposable paper towels, and soap and water, followed by an E.P.A. approved sanitizing solution.  Bleach solutions may also be used in accordance with guidelines established by the DEEC.  Paper towels and gloves will be discarded in the waste barrel lined with two plastic bags (triple bagging will be used for blood, vomit or fecal material).  The contents of the barrel will be brought to the outdoor barrel area as soon as possible.
• Used sheets will be machine washed in hot water and bleach.
• Soiled clothing will be sealed in double or triple plastic bags and sent home.
• Proper hand washing will be carried out.

Exclusion Policy

Children who exhibit symptoms of mild illness, e.g. runny nose, slight rash, slight cough will be evaluated for exclusion or inclusion according to the following criteria:

• Body temperature - A child should be fever free (axillary not over 99 degrees or oral not over 100 degrees) for 24 hours.
• Rashes - Mild rashes which are not accompanied by a fever or behavior changes should not exclude a child.
• Gastrointestinal symptoms - A child with diarrhea (more stools than normal, watery, loose, unformed or green colored, which are not related to medications, or food reactions) should be kept home from school.  A child who vomits should not come to school until there has been no vomiting for 24 hours, and the child has been able to hold down solid food and liquids normally.
• Respiratory - A mild cold accompanied by clear nasal discharge should not exclude a child from school.  However, a child who is not eating and drinking normally, can not participate in normal daily activities, has a thick yellow or green nasal discharge, an uncontrollable cough or a sore throat should be excluded.  Also, a child whose eyes are red, watery, or producing a yellow or greenish discharge should be kept at home until it is determined that the child is not suffering from an eye infection, particularly conjunctivitis which is extremely contagious.
• General appearance and behavior - A child who has a pale look or is acting unusually tired, has loss appetite, or is irritable should be kept home from school.

Children who are in school and show any of the above signs will be placed in isolation, and a parent will be called.  The Director will make the decision as to whether the child should be allowed to remain in school or be sent home.

Click here for specific conditions which warrant exclusion.