School board says it's not seeing increase in student absenteeism

By Tina Comeau

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

A spokesperson for the Tri-County Regional School Board said late Thursday that the school board has not been seeing an increase in illness in its schools. “The Tri-County Regional Board as a whole has seen no increase in illness, and except for one school that has had some issues a couple of weeks ago with a cold bug going around (not flu as it comes on slowly and lasts without a cough or fever), we haven't seen much here yet,” said Bill Curry, director of programs and student services.

Curry did add, however, that this board, and other boards, wouldn’t really know officially if the H1N1 is to blame for student absences as it is the board’s understanding that the health-care system will only be testing patients who are really ill, are in the hospital or have some underlying health issues. “The board, then, will expect cases of H1N1 sometime, obviously, but since it wouldn't change much of what we do if it's H1N1 or regular seasonal flu, or even just many kids out due to any health issue, we would simply follow our plan and try to keep going,” said Curry.

The plan that Curry speaks of is the board’s Business Continuity Plan. (The plan is posted on the school board’s website.) That plan says it is the priority of the school board to keep schools open as long as it is safe to do so. “Decisions about closing schools for health reasons will be made in consultation with the department of education and health officials,” reads the plan.

Student absentee rates will be monitored in all Tri-County schools. By 10 a.m. each day principals are to report absenteeism via an online database or by phone or email.

The board’s continuity plan also states that during the school day, students who are displaying flu-like symptoms should be placed in an isolation room until their parent/guardian takes them home. Students who are placed in isolation and cannot be picked up by the parent/guardian will be transported home by a designate as per the emergency contact information for the student.

Curry said that schools are working on where these isolations rooms will be located. There is also the question of supervision in the rooms. “We are still waiting on the NSTU and the (education) department as to advice on supervision,” Curry explained. “The kids would be supervised. The question is how and by whom. My best guess right now is that a staff member who has been vaccinated and might volunteer could do this, or there may be other ways to accomplish this.”

The board’s plan further states that “students who are displaying or exhibiting severe respiratory distress should be provided with access to appropriate medical case as per emergency medical procedures.

The plan also states that employees who are demonstrating flu-like symptoms at work are instructed to notify their supervisor and leave work immediately.

The school board’s H1N1 plans and how the board is responding to the pandemic will also be the topic of some school advisory council workshops taking place in November. One workshop is being held in each county served by the board. The workshops will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the following locations: •St. Mary’s Bay Academy on Monday, Nov. 9; •Meadowfields School on Tuesday, Nov. 10; •Evelyn Richardson Memorial School on Thursday, Nov. 12. “I shall detail the board's Business Continuity Plan and what we will be doing to keep students as safe as possible, while at the same time trying to keep the system running as normally as possible,” said Curry about the upcoming workshops. “We will then take questions from the public and I assume there may be quite a few.”