H1N1 looms over FAHS

November 21, 2009 • Ramsey Statz  
Filed under Local, News

With the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza, the thought has crossed many students’ minds this school year that there is a possibility the Fort Atkinson School District may close.

One may have noticed that the rate of students taking days off of school due to sickness this year has seemed higher than usual.  However, by comparison to other school districts in Wisconsin, FAHS has had relatively good student attendance.

“We had some pockets of high absenteeism most notably at the high school and Purdy in first grade, but overall after the WEAC break attendance rates have been normal [compared to past school years],” Superintendent of Schools Dr. James Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick also said that he does not have any immediate plans to consider closing the district.

“I don’t see us closing unless we were unable to staff a building due to absenteeism,” Fitzpatrick said.

This may make one wonder why a single case of H1N1 was able to close Barrie Elementary School in May of last school year while closing is not even being considered this year. The answer to this lies in a new set of guidelines that have been released by the Jefferson County Health Department.

The new guidelines encourage school districts to stay open as much as possible.  This is contrary to the old guidelines, which advised districts to use caution and consider closure at the earliest signs of H1N1. These were the guidelines in use back in May when Barrie school was closed.

One revelation that has led to new guidelines is the possibility that H1N1 is not as bad as it is hyped up to be, that it is just an average strain of the flu.

“I think it’s just another type of flu,” Sophomore Michael Medici said. Medici contracted the swine flu earlier this school year.

With the new guidelines, one may wonder whether Barrie school would have ever been closed last May if the current guidelines were in place.

“Based on what we know now and the new guidelines that now exist, Barrie would have never been closed last May,” Fitzpatrick said.

One of the key aspects of a school closing that students are concerned with, however, is whether or not the days missed will have to be made up at the end of the school year.

If the Fort Atkinson School District did close, the only way that the days missed would have to be made up is if the district was closed by the district itself.  If it was shut down by the county health department or any other higher power, then the district would be exempt from making those days up.

Concerning what is being done to fight back against the H1N1 influenza, the school district is prepared to schedule vaccination clinics with the Jefferson County Health Department once the supply is sufficient to provide for both students and families.

Still, Fitzpatrick contends that the best defense is simple preventative measures.

“I think it is important that we take all the precautions possible to prevent the spread of H1N1 by washing hands, practicing good hygiene and taking more time to sanitize classrooms,” Fitzpatrick said.

Tags: closing, county, department, fitzpatrick, flu, h1n1, health, jefferson, school, swine

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