Announcements

Denver Public Schools is committed to keeping its school communities healthy and safe this flu season. The district is working in partnership with the Denver Health and Hospital Authority and will take guidance and direction as provided from the Center for Disease Control and Colorado Department of Health.

The district is closely monitoring flu infections at each school, and our schools are prepared to deal with infection and take the necessary precautions to keep students and staff healthy. We appreciate your support in our effort to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment for our staff and students, and we are looking forward to a great year!

PREVENTION IS KEY

We can all work together to keep ourselves and our students healthy by practicing prevention, close monitoring, and using common sense.

• Medical professionals are recommending that everyone get a seasonal flu vaccine, which is currently available. The Center for Disease Control reports that a 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine should be available by mid-October. Who will have access to this vaccine and when, is currently unknown.

• Center for Disease Control guidelines recommend basic good hygiene, such as hand washing, covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or using your elbow instead of your hand when a tissue is not available. Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice) is the best way to keep your hands from spreading the virus.

• Students or staff members with flu-like illness (showing symptoms of flu) should stay home at least 24 hours after fever symptoms have ended.

• As a precaution, adults should check themselves and their children every morning for illness, and stay home or keep children home if they have a fever.

• Clean surfaces and items that have frequent hand contact such as desks, door knobs, keyboards, or pens, with cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas.

STAY HOME FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS AFTER FEVER SYMPTOMS SUBSIDE

It is paramount to our students’ learning and academic progress that they attend school every day. However, in order to maintain a healthy school community we are asking parents to keep their children home if he or she is exhibiting flu-like symptoms. The district also asks teachers and staff who are sick to stay home as well. It’s requested that students and staff stay home for at least 24 hours after fever symptoms have ended. Symptoms of flu include:

Fever
Cough
Sore throat
Runny or stuffy nose
Body aches
Fatigue

A fever is a temperature taken with a thermometer that is equal to or greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius). If you are not able to measure a temperature, your child might have a fever if he or she feels warm, has a flushed appearance, or is sweating or shivering.

As a precaution, check yourself and your children regularly for illness, and keep children home if they have a fever. If a student comes to school sick, the school will call parents to pick the child up. Teachers will work with parents and students to schedule make-up work as necessary and provide support if the child is able to continue their schoolwork from home.

For more information about how your school is preparing for this flu season, contact your school directly.