Dear Parent/Guardian:

As you are aware, flu can be easily spread from person to person. Therefore, steps are being taken to reduce the spread of flu in the Tuscaloosa County School System.  It is our goal to keep schools open and functioning for our students in a normal manner during this flu season; however, we need your help.

Working closely with the Tuscaloosa County Health Department, we are monitoring conditions which may affect our schools, and we are taking the necessary steps to protect our students. We will keep you informed of any new developments.  

  As parents and guardians, you can assist us by doing following:

      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 or cover their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm, or sleeve when a tissue is unavailable.

         Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu 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 also occur.

       Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever.  Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may be infected by the flu virus.

  All employees of the Tuscaloosa County School system, led by our building administrators and nursing staff, stand ready to assist you in any way we can.  In addition, you may visit http://www.flu.gov/ or call 1-800-CDC-INFO for the most current information about the flu.  For more information about flu in our community, visit http://www.adph.org/. 

Sincerely,

Frank P. Costanzo, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Education