Education Notebook

Swipe: Lourdes High hit hard by H1N1

Lourdes High has been particularly hit hard from H1N1, coming from today's story by PB health reporter Jeff Hansel.

According to the report, about half of the schools 442 students have been out sick at least one day.  From the article:

Principal Thomas Donlon said he's rethinking the way the school responded during the first wave of H1N1 and wonders if the school should have closed. "If you've got five petri dishes, he said, "it makes sense that you'd take the hottest one out. That's kind of what Lourdes was."

I've got something in the works about H1N1, but we'll see if all comes together here this week. More to come.

LINK: H1N1 hits Lourdes High School hard

Schools hit hard by flu (Article by PB's Heather Carlson)

Here's an article about schools in southeastern Minnesota being hit hard by H1N1, written by the P-B's State Capitol Reporter Heather Carlson.

According to the article, Rochester's Kellogg Middle School on Tuesday had about 100 absences, half of which reported flu-like symptoms. The school has about 900 students total.

I've e-mailed local school superintendents, so far I've heard back from a few that haven't had an issues yet. But as one superintendent said, "As we all know, that could in a short period of time."

In an unrelated story, I'm not going to be shaking hands with anyone for several weeks.

Link: More students sick with flu

Have pie-eating contests gone the way of the dodo? State Education officials compete in "H1N1-related handwashing" competition

Sometimes we cover hard news: funding referenda, tax increases, lawsuits, the plight of the poor or forgotten, shootings. Other times, there's this. (No, we won't be covering this.)

An H1N1 showdown between Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Sanne Magnan and Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Alice Seagren, in which the commissioners will compete against students in a hand-washing showdown to demonstrate the importance of hand-washing in prevention of seasonal and Novel H1N1 influenza.

They will also talk about back-to-school flu issues, including:
• Prevention: Cover your cough, wash your hands, and stay home if you are sick.
• Preparation: Families should have a plan in place that includes what parents will do if their kids need to be out of school for an extended period of time.
• Vaccinations: The importance of seasonal flu and Novel H1N1 flu vaccines.

It will be at the Minnesota State Fair, Horticulture/Agriculture Building. The showdown is set for 10 a.m., Thursday at the Germ City booth.