Student/Parent Handbook
2009-2010

Academic Calendar 2010-2011

Parents,                                                                                

This is the season of student illness and absence. Beyond the normal cases of the common cold, sinus infections, sore throats and strep infections… we now have a heightened sense of awareness for both seasonal flu & H1N1 (swine flu).

Parents have asked what St. Paul is experiencing this fall. Unlike schools in some area communities, we have had minimal absence…and seldom with flu- related symptoms. St. Paul’s have fluctuated between 6 & 24 total student absence. (That’s 2-12% absent. Schools consider closing when 30-40% are absent.) Flu viruses seem to hit communities in waves; however, we have not yet received such an outbreak.

St. Paul continues to pursue prevention.  The custodian daily sanitizes desks and high traffic doorways.  Several lower grade classroom desks get additional washings often.  Children are also reminded to wash hands before meals and after recesses. (Waterless sanitizers are advised only where soap and water are not available.)

Please help with preventative measures. Keep your child home when sick and call the school office to inform us. It is also helpful when parents provide details so the office can track types of illness. A child must be fever free… without medications…. for 24 hours… before returning to school. (If a student comes to school sick or gets sick during the day, he/she will be separated from the rest of the class awaiting parental pick-up. Our faculty stands ready to assist and make adjustments for students who are ill & homebound.)
 
In addition we desire to keep our “most vulnerable” safe. The H1N1 criteria would classify 15-20% of our school population as being “vulnerable.”  This 15-20% includes the very young (pre-3, pre-4, Kindergarten), those asthma or with compromised immune systems. 

Those “most vulnerable” of H1N1 are reminded of vaccinations available this Thursday, November 19 from 9AM-5PM at Jefferson County Health Department.

Thanks so much for your help in these matters.
Questions? Please contact us.

Sincerely yours,