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Flu not a major concern for area districts
Published 04:02 p.m., October 28, 2009
The number of students missing school due to flu-like symptoms is down, compared to earlier in the season, according to area school administrators.
“Students are sick, but we haven’t hit a large group at the same time,” said Underwood Superintendent Gary Sletten. “We have been really fortunate.”
Though the overall health of the student body has improved, the Underwood District did report having four students in one elementary class out with flu-like symptoms this week.
If three or more students — or five percent of the student body population — are ill with flu-like symptoms, it must be reported to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
The Fergus Falls School District last reported to the state on Oct. 12, when more than three students were ill in one given class.
Despite the report, the overall health of the Fergus Falls School District hasn’t caused administrators much concern.
“We feel like things are really good here,” said Fergus Falls school nurse Erika Yoney. “We’re certainly not seeing the numbers that a lot of spaces in the state are.”
Yoney says the district hasn’t experienced much of a spike or decline in the number of students ill throughout the year.
“District-wide, we’re seeing probably around 60 or 70 kids out for the whole district in the last few days,” she said.
In Pelican Rapids, it’s typical to have roughly 20 students throughout the district out each day, said Superintendent Deb Wanek.
The Pelican Rapids School District did recently report to the state regarding a class with more than three students home ill, but haven’t experienced anything too extreme, Wanek said.
“It’s been fairly minimal,” she said. “We’ve got hand sanitzers all over. The kids have been very good about it.”
Things have also been running smooth in Battle Lake, compared to earlier in the year.
“Things have been going very well for us,” said Principal Jeff Drake. “It seems like it was probably four weeks ago when we were struggling more with it.”
The Battle Lake School District has not recently had to report to the MDH.
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