Flu Resources for the School Community

  • It takes effort on everyone's part to keep our schools healthy. All year long, Eudora Schools leaders work with officials from the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department to spread the word about effective prevention and to ensure the continuity of student learning, should a flu or contagious illness outbreak of any kind take place in our community.

    Know the symptoms!

    Symptoms of the flu are: 

    • cough
    • fever
    • sore throat
    • body aches
    • runny or stuffy nose
    • fatigue
    • chills

    If your child has any of these symptoms, or if you have questions or concerns about your child’s ability to attend school due to illness contact your family physician or school nurse.

    Stay home if you're sick!

    Students, families and employees – we all share responsibility to stay away from school, work and public gatherings, when sick. School district employees are instructed to send any sick students to the school nurse immediately; students presenting with symptoms of flu-like illness will be sent home. 

    Parents: Please understand that students may possibly be asked to wear a medical mask in the nurse's office at the school, in case of a flu outbreak, if they are sneezing and coughing. (The mask will only be issued if necessary and will not be worn outside of the nurse's office.)

    Stay healthy!

    Make this the healthiest year yet by following some basic guidelines that can keep your kids – and your whole family – with a clean bill of health. 

    • Wash your hands! First and foremost, nearly every common malady can be prevented if you practice good hand washing. Once your hands are covered in a soapy lather, wash for at least 10-15 seconds on all surfaces of the hands, fingers, thumbs, back of fingers, beneath fingernails and on the back of hands.
    • Cover your cough and sneeze. It’s best to use your arm or a tissue to help cut down on the number of germs spread to your hands. Either way, if you’re coughing and sneezing, you should be washing your hands as often as possible.
    • Stay home when you’re sick. If you or your child has a fever or symptoms that prevent you from having a normal day, stay home. Not only will the rest help you recover more quickly, but staying away from groups of people will help keep everyone else healthier.
    • Get plenty of rest and eat right. Adults and children alike are better able to resist illness their bodies are treated well. Keep a regular, early bedtime during the week, and try not to change your habits too much on the weekend. Fresh fruits and vegetables also are important to good health, as are balanced portions of protein, dairy and whole grains.
    • Get vaccinated! One of the simplest ways to stay free of the flu is to get the seasonal flu shot. These are available in the fall and winter from your family physician, area pharmacies and the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department.

     

    Anticipate your family's needs

    Whether or not there is a community outbreak, parents should make decisions now about arrangements for a sick student. Make a plan now for how your child can be cared for in an environment that strictly limits contact with other children or community members. Do not use child care or community resources for group care if your child is sick.

    Plan also for how your family will respond in case of a parent illness or, under severe circumstances, in case of school closing. It should be noted that school closings will happen only in the most severe cases, and only under direction from the county health department or Kansas Department of Health and Environment.