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Ringgold enacts swine flu plan
By Dawn Goodman, Staff writer, dgoodman@observer-reporter.com
This article has been read 1584 times.
Ringgold School District does not have a confirmed case of swine flu, but is putting its H1N1 action plan into place because of an increased number of sixth-grade absences.
Twenty out of 262 sixth-graders were absent Friday. Eighty-two were absent Monday, and 114 were absent Tuesday. Superintendent Gary Hamilton said that's the only grade with a high number of absences. He said he's not sure of the reason for the absences but the district is taking a preventative approach. Letters have been sent home to parents explaining what the district is doing, Hamilton said.
The plan calls for all doorknobs and desks to be wiped down and for hand sanitizer to be available in every room, he said.
Ringgold is also telling parents about when their children should stay home, he said.
"If you have a fever, you have to stay home," Hamilton said, adding that until fevers are broken and children haven't taken medicine for 24 hours, they should stay home.
Federal and state agencies have released advice for schools about the prevention of H1N1, also known as swine flu. During flu season, schools should be particularly vigilant about keeping sick students and staff home, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Schools should be proactive and develop contingency plans to cover key positions, such as school nurses, when staff are home ill, the CDC states.
The CDC also recommends that schools regularly clean all areas and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact.
Avella Area students with flu-like symptoms will be sent home immediately, said Superintendent Wayde Killmeyer.
In past years, they have stayed in the nurse's office for a little while to see if they feel better before calling parents to get them, Killmeyer said.
Not so anymore.
It's one way the school district is trying to prevent an outbreak of H1N1 flu, he said.
Like MRSA, the best way to prevent H1N1 is good hygiene, Killmeyer said. He said simple actions, such as washing your hands regularly and covering your mouth when you cough, are the best prevention.
Killmeyer sent out a letter about prevention during the last school year and will include an update in the newsletter he is sending home soon.
Avella is lucky - it hasn't had a case yet, he said.
"It could crop up anywhere," he said.
California Area Superintendent Linda Mancini said the district had in-service training for teachers about H1N1 before the school year started.
The district has also put hand pumps of liquid soap in every classroom, provided a spray for keyboards and has the custodians wash desks regularly, she said.
She said she sent a note home to parents detailing what the district is doing and what parents can do to help prevent an outbreak.
Washington schools sent letters home near the end of last year explaining when to keep students home, said high school nurse Barbara McCollum.
The district doesn't have any cases of H1N1 flu, she said. However, it's impossible to distinguish between the regular flu and H1N1 without a lab test, she said.
Because good hygiene is essential to prevention, the district has hand sanitizers around the buildings and requires custodians to wash doorknobs, she said.
She said the prevention of all communicable diseases is handled the same way.
"You want to keep it contained," McCollum said.
To see the official CDC guidance, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/schools/t....htm#responses. Join the Observer-Reporter's conversation about education at our blog at http://orbehindthedesk.blogspot.com.
Ringgold enacts swine flu plan
By Dawn Goodman, Staff writer, dgoodman@observer-reporter.com
This article has been read 1584 times.
Ringgold School District does not have a confirmed case of swine flu, but is putting its H1N1 action plan into place because of an increased number of sixth-grade absences.
Twenty out of 262 sixth-graders were absent Friday. Eighty-two were absent Monday, and 114 were absent Tuesday. Superintendent Gary Hamilton said that's the only grade with a high number of absences. He said he's not sure of the reason for the absences but the district is taking a preventative approach. Letters have been sent home to parents explaining what the district is doing, Hamilton said.
The plan calls for all doorknobs and desks to be wiped down and for hand sanitizer to be available in every room, he said.
Ringgold is also telling parents about when their children should stay home, he said.
"If you have a fever, you have to stay home," Hamilton said, adding that until fevers are broken and children haven't taken medicine for 24 hours, they should stay home.
Federal and state agencies have released advice for schools about the prevention of H1N1, also known as swine flu. During flu season, schools should be particularly vigilant about keeping sick students and staff home, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Schools should be proactive and develop contingency plans to cover key positions, such as school nurses, when staff are home ill, the CDC states.
The CDC also recommends that schools regularly clean all areas and items that are more likely to have frequent hand contact.
Avella Area students with flu-like symptoms will be sent home immediately, said Superintendent Wayde Killmeyer.
In past years, they have stayed in the nurse's office for a little while to see if they feel better before calling parents to get them, Killmeyer said.
Not so anymore.
It's one way the school district is trying to prevent an outbreak of H1N1 flu, he said.
Like MRSA, the best way to prevent H1N1 is good hygiene, Killmeyer said. He said simple actions, such as washing your hands regularly and covering your mouth when you cough, are the best prevention.
Killmeyer sent out a letter about prevention during the last school year and will include an update in the newsletter he is sending home soon.
Avella is lucky - it hasn't had a case yet, he said.
"It could crop up anywhere," he said.
California Area Superintendent Linda Mancini said the district had in-service training for teachers about H1N1 before the school year started.
The district has also put hand pumps of liquid soap in every classroom, provided a spray for keyboards and has the custodians wash desks regularly, she said.
She said she sent a note home to parents detailing what the district is doing and what parents can do to help prevent an outbreak.
Washington schools sent letters home near the end of last year explaining when to keep students home, said high school nurse Barbara McCollum.
The district doesn't have any cases of H1N1 flu, she said. However, it's impossible to distinguish between the regular flu and H1N1 without a lab test, she said.
Because good hygiene is essential to prevention, the district has hand sanitizers around the buildings and requires custodians to wash doorknobs, she said.
She said the prevention of all communicable diseases is handled the same way.
"You want to keep it contained," McCollum said.
To see the official CDC guidance, visit http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/schools/t....htm#responses. Join the Observer-Reporter's conversation about education at our blog at http://orbehindthedesk.blogspot.com.