H1N1 and Flu Season — January 2010 Update

It’s our greatest desire to maintain the health and safety of our PCA students at all times.  As we enter the 2010 flu season, we will continue to make every effort to partner with you in the steps you are taking personally to prevent the spread of flu on campus. Additionally, we will work closely with county health agencies and the health department to monitor the spread of the flu conditions in our area, enabling us to make decisions about the best steps to take concerning PCA.

Please help us by continuing to take the following preventative measures at home with your students to prevent the spread of flu within your home and PCA:

• Be aware of your child's behaviors that may exhibit the onset of flu, such as fever and flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and fatigue; some are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea
• PCA's Fever Policy states that students with temperature of 100 degrees or higher will be sent home from school and should be picked up within an hour of parent notification. Students sent home with fever should be fever-free without the use of fever reducers such as Tylenol or Motrin in the last 24 hours before returning to school
• "Social distance" is very important to containing the spread of the flu. Please reinforce with your student the importance of personal space while at school and keeping hands to themselves
• Please keep your student home from school if they are ill, showing flu-like symptoms or you believe that they m a y not be able to function for the entire school day. These days are considered excused absences and they may return when they are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications. NOTE: If a student has a confirmed case of the flu, PCA will excuse those absences and they will not count against exemptions from final exams
• Encourage your students about the importance of good hygiene by washing hands and wrists properly and often - 15 seconds under warm water with soap; encourage students to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or their arm when coughing or sneezing - not using hands
• Discourage students from sharing personal items such as supplies, food or drink by students during the school day, not just during lunch period
• Be assured as parents that PCA and Prestonwood Baptist Church are fully engaged in the situation and is doing everything possible to combat the flu and the spread of the flu at PCA
• If your student is at a higher-risk for contracting the flu due to chronic medical conditions, please consult their physician about staying at home
• Watch your class newsletters and communications for updates, as needed

Visit the PCA Web site for the very latest information. Our Web site is your most IMPORTANT source of PCA information on the flu. We will notify you of any changes of our school's strategy to prevent the spread of flu on the Web and through email and e-flashes. Visit online resources such as www.flu.gov or to call 1.800.CDC.INFO for more information.

Thank you and we appreciate all of your assistance as we coordinate efforts to prevent and contain the spread of the flu at PCA.