Letter to Parents

Dear Parents,

As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of the flu in the Winneconne schools. We want to keep the school open to students and functioning in a normal manner during the upcoming flu season. However, we need your help to do this.

We are working closely with the Winnebago County Health Department to monitor flu conditions and make decisions about the best steps to take concerning schools. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available
For now we are doing everything we can to keep our school functioning as usual Here are a few things that the school district is doing and a few things you could do to help.

· 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 or sneezes with tissues. Covering 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 a fever ( 100 degrees or greater) cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.

· Keep sick children home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever without using a 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 student who is determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.

Immunization clinics through the Winnebago County Health Department will be held at school in order for your child to receive the H1N1 vaccine. Parental consent will be required for your child to receive the vaccine. More details on these clinics will be sent to you when plans are finalized.

Lets work together to keep our schools and community healthy and safe this flu season.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bob Lehman                                     Sandy Guerard R.N.
District Administrator                             School Nurse