H1N1 Flu Update: May 6, 2009 (3 p.m.)

Situation

All district operations are back to normal with Beckendorff Junior High opening May 7. Beckendorff students will take their final TAKS test on Friday, May 8. The ban on out-of-district travel has been lifted and campuses may resume previously canceled school-related activities. The UIL activities are scheduled to resume May 7. Please check with your campus for the latest information regarding events that may be rescheduled due to previous cancellations.

The district will continue its communication with the local health departments and monitor the situation should there be any further development that impacts district operations. We will continue to keep you updated of significant changes.

Staying Healthy

The health department continues to emphasize the importance of keeping any child who has the flu out of school for seven days and that the child must be fever free without medication for 24 hours prior to returning to school. Although the threat of a severe flu outbreak has diminished, school nurses will continue their standard practices of actively monitoring students who are showing signs of illness to ensure that our schools are safe and healthy learning environments for everyone.

The CDC encourages us to be vigilant for the possibility of a future wave of the H1N1 flu. As such, students and staff members should continue to practice good hygiene to reduce the spread of influenza, including covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or coughing or sneezing into their sleeve if a tissue isn’t available), frequently washing hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer if hand washing with soap and water is not possible.

Hand Sanitizers

Several parents have asked if it is okay for their child to bring with them to school hand sanitizer gels, wipes and lotions. The district does allow students to bring these items to school for their own personal use. Students should not, however, bring to school surface disinfectants such as Lysol spray, Clorox wipes or any other chemical disinfectant.

For the safety of all students and staff, Katy ISD must follow strict Hazardous Communications regulations pertaining to the use of chemical cleaners and uses only those approved by the EPA for classroom disinfecting. We appreciate your help in assisting us in keeping our classrooms safe for all students.