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Weekly Events: November 15, 2010

winter clothingWe have had very mild days of fall weather so far this school year and this has allowed us to have an extended season of recess ball field use for kick ball, soccer, baseball and football.  BUT…it sounds like the forecast for the upcoming week is more typical for November with rain, winds and possibly some snow showers by week’s end.

We would like all children to be properly dressed for recess with hats, gloves/mittens and winter jacket.  Once the snow arrives, boots are a MUST!

I hope you are aware through the blog updates that we have a very contagious stomach virus moving through our school.  The onset is quite rapid with reported symptoms of a headache and/or yucky tummy.  The vomiting hits quickly.  When one child in a classroom gets sick, in short order others are sick as well.

We are cleaning surfaces as often as we can throughout the day and sick childreminding EVERYONE to wash their hands frequently.  If you child becomes sick, please keep him/her home for at least 24 hours to help us prevent the spreading of this intestinal issue.   Thank you for your help!

A snapshot of the week ahead is below.  Remember to check your child’s class blog for more specific grade/class events.

Blog Update 11 15

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Stomach Virus Alert

illness, virus, fluPlease be aware that a stomach virus is moving through our building right now.  Two weeks ago, a handful of children reported headaches and then vomited shortly after.   This week, we are seeing the trend of groups of children in classroom being kept home for the virus and/or groups being sent home due to symptoms or vomiting.

If your child is kept home with the virus, please keep your child home for 24 hours.  We want children to return healthy so that we can prevent further spread of the virus from child to child.

We are encouraging hand washing with teachers and custodians taking extra care to clean surfaces and door knobs!

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Georgetown Germs

If you take a walk through our building, you will hear lots of coughing and sneezing…and see children with runny nose and red eyes.  The seasonal type viruses have arrived sooner and many of our students and staff have picked up one or more of the viruses already.

To help us keep everyone healthy, please keep your children home until they are FEVER FREE FOR 24 HOURS. This fever free time  =  fever free with no medication to keep the fever away— a 24 hour period in which the child has not had motrin, advil, tylenol  AND they have been fever free during this time.  This is key to preventing the spread of these viruses to other children.

Mr. Rob, his custodial staff and the teaching staff at our school are doing all we can to disinfect door knobs, working surfaces, and school utensils.  We need your help in keeping your children home if they do not feel well.illness, virus, flu

Finally, we have had parents contact us to share that their children were diagnosed with the flu.  We are monitoring these reports and we continue to urge parents to not send children back too soon.  The CDC has helpful answers to common questions regarding the H1N1 virus.  For more information, click on the link in the upper right corner of this blog.

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Reminder: Flu Symptoms

Dear Parents,

We have been advised by the Ottawa County Health Department and the Center for Disease Control that if your child has one or more of the following symptoms, you must keep them home from school AND:

1.  Contact your physician

2.  Contact the school and report the symptoms.  SYMPTOMS:  fever of over 100 degrees, cough, sore throat, body aches, chills and fatigue.

3.   Even if your child is ill with non-flu like symptoms, please inform the office of your child’s illness (for example:  stomach virus, cold, strep, allergies).

Schools are required to report the total number of absences with flu like symptoms to the health department, who in turn reports to the CDC.   To answer additional questions, the health department has a number of resources to our website at www.MiOttawa.org. You may also access our information hotline, at 616-494-5575.

Thank you for your support!  Mrs. Reagan

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Stomach Virus Alert

Please be aware that we are experiencing a high rate of absences due to a stomach virus that is making it’s way through the school. Last week, we averaged 50 students per day who were absent with symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and fever. The virus is very contagious in that we are seeing it spread through classrooms and families.

The absence rate is continuing this week, with 5-6 students absent in some classrooms with this virus. As a school, we are asking students to NOT share water bottles and we are disinfecting all surfaces and door knobs as frequently as possible.

If your child shows symptoms of this illness, PLEASE keep your child home. Do not send your child back to school until s/he is symptom free for 24 hours. The Ottawa County Health Department sent an alert out to all schools last week regarding the illness and asked that we follow the “24 hour symptom free” recommendation.  Please help us out by keeping your child home until s/he is symptom free.

Remember to call the office to excuse your child, 797-9797.

As I sign off, I am making a mad dash for the hand sanitizer! Mrs. Reagan