October 22, 2009

Dear RHCS & CGP Families,

As you know, the H1N1 flu virus has been in the media quite a bit over the past few months. While we do not have reason to be concerned at the moment, we want to inform you of the proactive steps we have taken to help maintain a healthy environment for your children here at Red Hill & Cedar Grove.

Red Hill School has always taken health and safety very seriously, but this new threat of illness has us working even harder to keep rooms clean and sanitary. We do have a custodian who daily cleans frequently used surfaces like doorknobs, bathroom fixtures and countertops. Each classroom teacher has been in-serviced about the H1N1 virus and how to properly disinfect from bacteria and other viruses. Each class will be bleaching toys, table tops, manipulatives and other surfaces daily.

We are asking our families to do their part as well.

• Keep your child home if they are showing signs of illness including fever, headache, sore throat, diarrhea and vomiting. We know that this can be a strain on families but alternate arrangements must be made for ill children. Additionally, new guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now stipulates that a student with the flu will need to stay home until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications (Tylenol, Motrin, etc.). In most cases, this would be anywhere from three to five days where your child must be kept home.

• Call the school if your child is staying home sick. If your child is diagnosed by a doctor, please call us with the diagnosis; do not "self diagnosis." Please note that the H1N1 virus can only be truly diagnosed through a swab culture or bloodwork as the symptoms are so similar to the regular flu.

• Teach your child to cough or sneeze into a tissue or bent elbow. Good handwashing is the best prevention from catching disease.

At this time, we have had one confirmed case of H1N1 at the Red Hill campus. We have also received confirmation of a few cases in the Upper Perkiomen School District. There have also been many cases of strep throat, fevers and other illness throughout the local school districts.

H1N1 is affecting children and young adults more seriously than the regular flu. For more information on the flu, and how you can protect your family, go to www.health.state.pa.us, www.cdc.gov and www.flu.gov.

Please call with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Stair
Preschool & Childcare Director