From the Principal

As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of influenza in our schools. We want to keep our schools open to students and functioning in a normal manner during the upcoming flu season.

We are working closely with the Morgan County Health Department to monitor flu conditions in our county and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning schools. We are tracking our attendance daily to help us make decisions about keeping our school open to students and functioning in a normal manner during this flu season. Our maintenance staff is cleaning doorknobs and table tops in each room every night. Our cafeteria tables are routinely washed with bleach water multiple times each day and teachers have stepped up their hand washing routines during the school day. Here are a few things you can do to help us:

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food, or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.
• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.
• Keeping sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs. Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.
• Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

For more information, please visit www.flu.gov for the most current information about the flu.

Mr. Sampson