Speedway Schools Preparing for H1N1

(posted 8.8.09 )

Speedway Public school administrators are developing and reviewing precautionary plans to combat H1N1 flu. According to Superintendent Ken Hull, the general guidelines of increased hand washing will be re-taught and reinforced.

Hull explained some of the steps the school engages in to safeguard everyone's health. "Parents will be advised not to send ill children with symptoms like fevers to school. We will monitor children closely and isolate children with symptoms and work closely with parents to secure appropriate medical care. We are very fortunate to have a great relationship with Learning Well (the provider of nurses and health care to most of our students) and through Learning Well, with Shalom Community Health Center."

The school has taken precautions by offering voluntary vaccinations to students and employees in the past to tackle the flu season. The school has no authority to impose vaccination requirements because that is a state function. He said that employees and students have a right to refuse vaccinations based on religious reasons. Employee vaccinations are offered by the school at a reduced price, but the participation has been dropping since drug stores and other service providers have started offering similar programs at about the same cost.

"Last year, Speedway Schools, through Learning Well and the Shalom Community Health Center, offered influenza vaccinations to students in their schools with parent permission. If a student was not covered by health insurance, or received lunch and textbook assistance, then with parent permission the student received the vaccination for no cost. This occurred because of the kind donation of the serum by the manufacturer and the donated time of the school nurses. We are planning to do this again, this year. We are very fortunate to receive this unprecedented kindness."

The Centers for Disease Control released their guidelines for schools on Friday in preparation for the fall semester. The CDC anticipates more illness after the school year starts, because flu typically is transmitted more easily in the fall and winter.

“We’re going to continue to do everything possible to keep our children – and all Americans – healthy and safe this fall,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. “But all Americans also have a part to play. The best way to prevent the spread of flu is vaccination. A seasonal flu vaccine is ready to go, and we should have one for the 2009 H1N1 flu by mid-October.”

Hull is not sure if funding from the state and federal levels would be impacted if a high student absence rate would result from the flu. His bigger concern is student achievement.

"Increased absences could affect our student's achievement. Attendance is also a measured factor in school accreditation. It has been demonstrated over many years that Speedway students lead the state in attendance and far exceed the state average and the state requirement. In the event that a pandemic affects this long established trend, then we would ask the State to take this into consideration when evaluating our students and our schools. I suspect we would not be the only school seeking such an accommodation. I am unsure of the funding impact in the school funding formula."

The school is not able to offer teaching through a web based teaching program to help ill students to maintain course work. "We are discussing how we might provide general work to our students, but we do not know if the educational value of work attempted by ill children at home is similar to classroom instruction."

Although the school strives to have a large pool of substitute teachers to cover absent teachers, Hull's bigger concern is the school's ability to conduct meaningful instruction without a significant percentage of teacher availability.

Elimination of sports activities is another possibility to control the spread of H1N1 if it reaches pandemic stage. The Marion County Health Department will provide guidelines to schools if sports programs should be canceled due to H1N1.

"To be genuinely effective, it would require this type of unified effort across the state. Schools acting independently to make an individual school determination to cancel a single event would likely have little effect on a pandemic," Hull said.