A local school official said today that attendance in the
Hollister School District has not declined since the onset of the
swine flu.
”
Attendance is good,
”
said Ron Crates, superintendent of the Hollister School
District.
”
There has been nothing unusual or unique. We’re knocking on wood
right now but we haven’t had a case yet.
”
HOLLISTER
Superintendents for the county’s two largest school districts today said attendance has not declined significantly since the onset of the swine flu.
Hollister School District Superintendent Ron Crates did point out that Ladd Lane Elementary School, for one, did have a noticeable drop in attendance Friday compared with Thursday, with about 30 more kids absent today. But Crates also noted how he had sent an automated phone message to parents requesting to keep students home with sickness of any kind.
Said Superintendent Stan Rose with the high school district: “We haven’t noticed any large effect with attendance so far. That could certainly change. Everybody is trying to ensure that people do the precautionary things like get plenty of rest and sleep and eat properly and so forth.”
The districts have been working with the county’s health department on preventative measures and getting all the necessary information passed down.
Crates said the district has provided ways for concerned parents to report potential swine flu cases to county health. There also have been meetings between the health department and every principal in the district to create a “partnership and collaboration” on the swine flu topic, he said.
“What I’m pleased about is the situation we have with the health department,” Crates said. “We needed to get everyone together, and they were there,” Crates said. “That’s one advantage of a small county.”
The health department is calling the Hollister School District every day, and school officials are not only checking in with them, but also getting in contact with parents.
“We sent out letters to every parent,” Crates said. He added that he has sent out a personal message via the district’s calling system telling parents to keep their children at home if they are sick.
“I know the concern,” he said. “We feel that we have a good protocol and procedure for this and we will notify (parents) if there is a school closing.”
The Hollister School District recently spent about $6,000 worth of supplies to keep the schools clean. The supplies, mainly disinfectants, were sent with the principals after their meeting with the health department on Wednesday afternoon, he said. Crates also said the district has added more staff on to maintain cleanliness throughout the school, especially the bathrooms.
At the San Benito High School District, Rose addressed the staff Thursday about the latest information from the state and county public health, he said. He said educators have been getting out all the necessary information to students and parents, while urging those in the community to stay home with flu symptoms.
