Attendance policy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m actually now coming up on this rule. My kid called me to pick them up early on Friday as they felt ill. They tested positive for covid Sunday so will be out at least this week. But it would be utterly ridiculous to take her to the doctor—she feels fine. So I guess I’ll see what happens! The five day rule is dumb because it doesn’t really give you enough time to get through a case of covid. They should give you one chance per year where you can be out up to two weeks with no doctor’s note. Every kid in McPS is going to get covid at least once this year, I bet.

The policy and protocol for COVID positive tests is updated. If your kid is positive but completely symptom-free, they don't need to isolate for 5 days. She should mask for that time period, but does not need to miss school if she is free of a fever or showing no symptoms.

It's 2023, not 2021. Things have evolved with COVID.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m actually now coming up on this rule. My kid called me to pick them up early on Friday as they felt ill. They tested positive for covid Sunday so will be out at least this week. But it would be utterly ridiculous to take her to the doctor—she feels fine. So I guess I’ll see what happens! The five day rule is dumb because it doesn’t really give you enough time to get through a case of covid. They should give you one chance per year where you can be out up to two weeks with no doctor’s note. Every kid in McPS is going to get covid at least once this year, I bet.

The policy and protocol for COVID positive tests is updated. If your kid is positive but completely symptom-free, they don't need to isolate for 5 days. She should mask for that time period, but does not need to miss school if she is free of a fever or showing no symptoms.

It's 2023, not 2021. Things have evolved with COVID.

Please share your source for this. What I see for teachers still shows I have to stay home for 5 days and follow CDC guidelines.

[Anonymous]

From the Fall 2023 Reopening guide:

“If a student or MCPS staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19, they should follow isolation and masking precautions as recommended by the CDC, which currently includes at least 5 days of home isolation.“

https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/reopening2023/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m actually now coming up on this rule. My kid called me to pick them up early on Friday as they felt ill. They tested positive for covid Sunday so will be out at least this week. But it would be utterly ridiculous to take her to the doctor—she feels fine. So I guess I’ll see what happens! The five day rule is dumb because it doesn’t really give you enough time to get through a case of covid. They should give you one chance per year where you can be out up to two weeks with no doctor’s note. Every kid in McPS is going to get covid at least once this year, I bet.

The policy and protocol for COVID positive tests is updated. If your kid is positive but completely symptom-free, they don't need to isolate for 5 days. She should mask for that time period, but does not need to miss school if she is free of a fever or showing no symptoms.

It's 2023, not 2021. Things have evolved with COVID.

Please share your source for this. What I see for teachers still shows I have to stay home for 5 days and follow CDC guidelines.

You don't seem to understand the definition of the word "should."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m actually now coming up on this rule. My kid called me to pick them up early on Friday as they felt ill. They tested positive for covid Sunday so will be out at least this week. But it would be utterly ridiculous to take her to the doctor—she feels fine. So I guess I’ll see what happens! The five day rule is dumb because it doesn’t really give you enough time to get through a case of covid. They should give you one chance per year where you can be out up to two weeks with no doctor’s note. Every kid in McPS is going to get covid at least once this year, I bet.

The policy and protocol for COVID positive tests is updated. If your kid is positive but completely symptom-free, they don't need to isolate for 5 days. She should mask for that time period, but does not need to miss school if she is free of a fever or showing no symptoms.

It's 2023, not 2021. Things have evolved with COVID.

This is false. The policy remains unchanged. What people are actually doing on the ground may be different, but please don’t spread lies about the policy. In PP’s case, day zero was Friday (first symptoms), can return with a mask on Thursday this week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m actually now coming up on this rule. My kid called me to pick them up early on Friday as they felt ill. They tested positive for covid Sunday so will be out at least this week. But it would be utterly ridiculous to take her to the doctor—she feels fine. So I guess I’ll see what happens! The five day rule is dumb because it doesn’t really give you enough time to get through a case of covid. They should give you one chance per year where you can be out up to two weeks with no doctor’s note. Every kid in McPS is going to get covid at least once this year, I bet.

The policy and protocol for COVID positive tests is updated. If your kid is positive but completely symptom-free, they don't need to isolate for 5 days. She should mask for that time period, but does not need to miss school if she is free of a fever or showing no symptoms.

It's 2023, not 2021. Things have evolved with COVID.

This is false. The policy remains unchanged. What people are actually doing on the ground may be different, but please don’t spread lies about the policy. In PP’s case, day zero was Friday (first symptoms), can return with a mask on Thursday this week.

Read it again. Where does the policy say they can't return earlier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m actually now coming up on this rule. My kid called me to pick them up early on Friday as they felt ill. They tested positive for covid Sunday so will be out at least this week. But it would be utterly ridiculous to take her to the doctor—she feels fine. So I guess I’ll see what happens! The five day rule is dumb because it doesn’t really give you enough time to get through a case of covid. They should give you one chance per year where you can be out up to two weeks with no doctor’s note. Every kid in McPS is going to get covid at least once this year, I bet.

The policy and protocol for COVID positive tests is updated. If your kid is positive but completely symptom-free, they don't need to isolate for 5 days. She should mask for that time period, but does not need to miss school if she is free of a fever or showing no symptoms.

It's 2023, not 2021. Things have evolved with COVID.

This is false. The policy remains unchanged. What people are actually doing on the ground may be different, but please don’t spread lies about the policy. In PP’s case, day zero was Friday (first symptoms), can return with a mask on Thursday this week.

Read it again. Where does the policy say they can't return earlier?

DP. Are you haggling over "should" versus something like "shall" or "must?"

The CDC guidance is clear that people with a positive test should isolate for at least 5 days, with day 1 counted as the day after the onset of symptoms or positive test. There's no exception for those with positive tests and mild symptoms. The point being made by multiple posters is that most kids don't need to go to the doctor due to their COVID-19 illness, so basically, the policy punishes families who follow public health guidance to protect others by requiring a doctor's note.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just got a notice from my kid's elementary school that "prolonged absences of 5 days or more require, by state law, a physician's excuse."

I'm lucky if I can get an appointment with my kid's physician within 3 months and I'm not about to take my kid to urgent care where they will get the staff sick for no medical end when they get covid or the flu. So I guess it is a maximum four day quarantine now, whether they still have symptoms or not. Or alternatively I can just live with the school vaguely threatening report me to CPS for truancy.

Anyone else pissed about this?

Don't worry, it's all noise. There is no attendance policy. Nothing well happen, no consequences. Get your kid healthy and don't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

I was told my kid needed a doctors note after missing three days of school. I provided a note on the first day of their absence, but I was told I needed another one if we hit day 4.

They are taking some bizarre new hardline.

I had to do a second visit (albeit virtually) to get the note. That’s two medical appointments in one week just to appease the attendance lady at an mcps high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m actually now coming up on this rule. My kid called me to pick them up early on Friday as they felt ill. They tested positive for covid Sunday so will be out at least this week. But it would be utterly ridiculous to take her to the doctor—she feels fine. So I guess I’ll see what happens! The five day rule is dumb because it doesn’t really give you enough time to get through a case of covid. They should give you one chance per year where you can be out up to two weeks with no doctor’s note. Every kid in McPS is going to get covid at least once this year, I bet.

Fwiw, I emailed the school and they said I didn’t need a note for this. They said covid is an exception to the rule. So it may be worth checking with your schools before going to your doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m actually now coming up on this rule. My kid called me to pick them up early on Friday as they felt ill. They tested positive for covid Sunday so will be out at least this week. But it would be utterly ridiculous to take her to the doctor—she feels fine. So I guess I’ll see what happens! The five day rule is dumb because it doesn’t really give you enough time to get through a case of covid. They should give you one chance per year where you can be out up to two weeks with no doctor’s note. Every kid in McPS is going to get covid at least once this year, I bet.

Fwiw, I emailed the school and they said I didn’t need a note for this. They said covid is an exception to the rule. So it may be worth checking with your schools before going to your doctor.

LOL the dominoes are falling. The attempt to institute a strict attendance policy while an excludable contagious illness is still common shows its behind! Extreme wishful thinking by MCPS muckety-mucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was told my kid needed a doctors note after missing three days of school. I provided a note on the first day of their absence, but I was told I needed another one if we hit day 4.

They are taking some bizarre new hardline.

I had to do a second visit (albeit virtually) to get the note. That’s two medical appointments in one week just to appease the attendance lady at an mcps high school.

It sounds like it's school specific. I just emailed the school and filled out the form. Kid brought a note from me upon return.