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Reducing Health-Related Absences!
Occasional absences related to health reasons are to be expected. But absences can quickly add up. There are many ways districts and schools can help prevent unnecessary health-related absences.
Helping to keep students healthy is part of the solution. Districts and schools can provide students and their families with information and access to services, both in school and in the community, that can help children stay healthy throughout the year.
Share our Keep Your Child Healthy and in School! handout (also in Spanish) with families. Our Tips For Keeping Students Healthy has suggestions for districts, schools and community partners. Remind families that stomachaches and headaches might be a sign of anxiety. To learn more about the connection between chronic absence and anxiety, read our short Q&A with Pamela Cantor, M.D.
Communicate clearly about when families can send a child to school if they show signs of illness. Download and share our one page handout When is Sick Too Sick for School, or create your own that aligns with local health policy.
School nurses can help identify and address health-related and social barriers to school, support prevention and help with managing chronic conditions like asthma. Learn more by listening to Kimberly Stanislo from the National Association of School Nurses on our AAC webinar, Health, Well-being and Safety are Essential to Showing Up.
Teacher health and well-being are essential for creating the positive conditions for learning that can motivate students to show up. The Back-to-School tip sheet from Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools suggests actionable steps to promote a supportive and healthy work environment throughout the school year for educators.
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