The following letter from Mark Booth, director of Student Services, has been sent to Noblesville parents.


August 25, 2009

On August 25 the school nurse at Forest Hill Elementary School was informed that a Forest Hill student had been diagnosed with Type A influenza. A notification from the child's doctor stated that the child had a "probable" case of H1N1, but a diagnosis of H1N1 was not made. The parents were made aware of the Type A diagnosis over the weekend and the child has not been in school this week.

Our custodial staff has sanitized all areas of the school where the child had been before becoming ill. We brought in additional custodial assistance this evening to sanitize other areas of the building to lessen the risk that other students become ill.

I want to emphasize that the child has not been diagnosed with H1N1.

As a necessary precaution our school nurses are monitoring symptoms of ill students and will quickly notify parents and send sick children home when warranted. If your child is sent home with symptoms of influenza, please immediately notify your physician who will determine if testing or treatment is necessary. A child sent home with symptoms of influenza cannot return to school until a physician provides written confirmation of a medical diagnosis and a release to return to school.

Please be alert for symptoms of influenza and contact your physician if you suspect your child may have any strain of influenza. Symptoms include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit, 37.8 degrees Celsius or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and fatigue. Vomiting or diarrhea may be present. Your physician is the best source of information about H1N1. We have included basic information on H1N1 on the Noblesville Schools’ website, www.noblesvilleschools.org.

Noblesville Schools is working closely with the Hamilton County Health Department to manage any outbreaks of H1N1 and to take the necessary precautions to prevent the spreading of any illness. Thank you for placing your trust in Noblesville Schools and you can be assured that we are taking every probable case seriously.

Additional information for parents about preparing for the flu is available by clicking here.

For your reference links to information about H1N1:

• http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/schools/schoolguidance.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/acip.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/statelocal/qa.htm