Dear Parents and Families,

Winter is the time for flu, and influenza activity commonly peaks in January or later. As you may know, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, we are taking steps to reduce the spread of flu in Rockwall ISD. We want to keep our schools functioning in a normal manner during this flu season. But, we need your help to do this.

We are working closely with the Rockwall County and City Health Officers and the Texas Department of State Health Services to monitor flu conditions and make decisions concerning our schools. We will keep you updated with new information as it becomes available. Currently RISD is taking the following steps:

• Good handwashing and cough/sneeze etiquette are taught and reinforced.
• Hand sanitizer is available and use is encouraged, including in the cafeteria lines.
• Custodial services clean campuses daily with extra cleaning initiated when reports of flu are received. Cleaning during the school day of high touch surfaces, such as light switches and computer keyboards.
• School nurses are providing educational information on flu prevention and treatment to parents whose children become sick at school

If the flu becomes more severe, we may take additional steps to prevent the spread. Here are a few things you can do to help.

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues.  Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.
• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100.0 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.
• Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs.  Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.
• Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home. To reduce the spread of respiratory illness, students who have a fever and are coughing may be asked to wear a simple face mask while they are in the clinic waiting for their parent to pick them up.

Please contact your school nurse if you have any questions. For additional information, contact the Centers for Disease Control at 1-800-CDC-INFO, or online at: http://www.flu.gov

Sincerely,
Nichol Smithers MSN, MEd, RN
Coordinator of Health Services