NORTH MANCHESTER - Information about the seasonal flu and H1N1 was presented to the Manchester Communiy Schools Board of Trustees Tuesday night.
M.A. Hire, school nurse, made a presentation about the viruses and gave the board information about student absences over the past few weeks.Manchester Intermediate School saw the largest amount of absent students Oct. 20, with 14.1 percent missing school, and Oct. 19, with 11.9 percent out.
Oct. 19 also was the date Manchester Senior High School had the most absences with 6.9 percent, and Oct. 19 and 20 saw 7.3 percent of the student population out at Manchester Elementary School. Manchester Junior High School's largest amount of absent students was 7.3 percent Oct. 26.
Hire said all the absences are not necessarily from the flu, but there have been several cases of the flu in the school system.
The schools are taking precautions to help prevent the spread of the flu. Children are being taught and reminded to cough and sneeze into their sleeves instead of their hands, students are encouraged to stay home if they are sick, and everyone is being reminded not to share drinks, food or chapstick. Also, all desks are being disinfected each night, lunch tables are disinfected after each meal, and bus seats and doorknobs are being disinfected and cleaned each night.
In other business, the board:
n Reviewed its mission and belief statements and made minor changes in wording.
n Heard that the Manchester Junior High School Spell Bowl Team placed first in its class at Indian Springs Middle School. The team tied for 12th place overall in the state, but only the top seven teams advance to the state competition. The team also placed second to Tippecanoe Valley in the Running Rivers Conference competition.
n Heard that an average of 10-15 students are staying after school for free tutoring help at the high school.
n Learned that beginning at the December of January meeting, all board documents will be presented to board members on a CD or flash drive. The move will save paper and time for the office staff.
n Received a draft of the 2010-11 school calendar. The preliminary start date for school will be Aug. 24, and the calendar has two built-in snow days.
