H1N1 Prevention Plan

2009-10

With the flu season approaching, Robert Stuart Middle School will do the following to help reduce the exposure of the seasonal flu, including the H1N1 flu, to students, staff and the community.

A letter from Dr. Dobbs was given out at Open House, along with a “Parent Information” sheet provided by the CDC.  Dr. Dobbs’s letter was also sent out with the first newsletter sent home to parents on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The Physical Education teacher and health teacher as part of her health curriculum, will do a “teach to” on good germ prevention methods.  This will include but is not limited to:

1-      Teach children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.

2-      Teach children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils

3-      Teach students to cover their sneezes with a tissue or their sleeve at the elbow

4-      Teach students to wash or sanitize their hand before eating anything

5-      Teach students that it is more beneficial to stay home if you are running a fever than to come to school and pass the flu

6-      Students need to stay home for at least 24 hours after their temperature has subsided

The staff will ensure the following:

1-      Teachers will ensure students wash or sanitize their hands before eating (Remind before lunch).

2-      Head custodian will ensure sinks have warm water, soap, and properly working paper towel dispensers in all rest rooms.

3-      Head custodians will ensure all classrooms have disinfectant spray and rags to clean desks once a day when symptoms have been detected.

4-      Control measures will be intensified in proportion to the number of confirmed cases of H1N1 in our school.

If a child is at school and becomes ill, the following procedures will be taken:

1 – If a teacher suspects that a child is sick, they will immediately send that child to the office. Flu like symptoms include a temperature of 100 degrees or higher.  The office staff will take their temperature or call home, isolate them as much as possible (Conference Room), and call home so that parents can come and pick their child up.

2- The following people will be available to check temperatures:  Principal, Vice Principal, and Secretary.

3– The office staff will clean the Conference Room after parents have picked up their children.

4 – Students who have missed three days or more will be checked by the office before they return to their class.

5– Spray disinfectant is supplied in every classroom for reducing the spread of germs.  Teachers can use the disinfectant when necessary.  Staff will routinely clean areas that students and staff touch often with the disinfectant cleaner.

6– Alcohol-based sanitizers or dispensers will be available in every classroom for student and teacher use.

Active screening will be done daily.  Teachers will check students for fever and other symptoms of flu when they get to school in the morning, separate those who are ill, and send them home as soon as possible.  .  Throughout the day, staff should be vigilant in identifying students and other staff who appear ill.

If you have further questions or concerns, please visit the following website for current information regarding H1N1:  www.flu.gov , or call 1-800-CDC-INFO or you may contact either one of us.