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OBITUARIES - DEATH NOTICES - CARDS OF THANKS
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| Last updated at 1:50 AM on 03/11/09 |
Wave of absenteeism striking schools 
CORNER BROOK
CORY HURLEY
The Western Star
The apparent effect of H1N1 is hitting schools throughout the Western School District in waves.
Jeff Thompson, the district’s assistant director of education, told The Western Star Monday that most of the elevated rates of absenteeism for students, teachers and staff throughout the various schools last week have decreased Monday.
In the examples used last week, Templeton Academy in Meadows was experiencing absent students at rates more than 40 per cent, but Monday that was down to 17.7 percent, while Corner Brook Regional High was recording between 30 and 33 per cent absent students last week, but down to 20 per cent Monday.
While that was noted as good news by the assistant director of education, the rise in absenteeism at institutions less impacted last week is the downside of the apparent cycle.
There has been considerable discussion throughout the community as to whether schools should be closed down altogether during the peak of this pandemic. Thompson said that is also a debate had by district staff and school administrators, with the assistance of federal and provincial agencies.
While recognizing, appreciating, and sharing the concerns of parents, he said the situation, to date, has not warranted the closing down of any schools.
“We are monitoring that everyday and in constant dialogue with our administrative teams at each site, linked in with a provincial network discussing this matter, and parents need to be assured we are making decisions with the best information and decisions we believe are in the best overall interest of the student body,” Thompson said.
However, the provincial government suspended all school-based, extra-curricular activity for students in the province until Nov. 13. The policy will be revisited at that time. In conjunction with that, Thompson said the Western School District has prohibited any student travel within or outside the district for school-related activities. Those policies apply to sports and curriculum activities.
Meanwhile, the next big step for schools is to prepare for the implementation of the vaccination program. Thompson said parents should sign and return the consent forms sent home with their children and continue to monitor developments in relation to when the vaccine will be available to school-aged children.
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03/11/09
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T from nl writes: Thompson is a fine representative of the school board to interview about shutting down the schools. He's the same one who refuses to shut the schools during snowstorms!
Geez, get this guy out of there.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 7:25 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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cindy from nl writes: WEll this is corner brook, of course they will wait until someone dies until they close schools, same as traffic signs and lights,when someone dies is when the problem is then looked at ! pathetic....this could be such an easy solution, then again maybe not, there are still people who choose not to get vaccinated, myself being one,and my child, but i still think it will blow over eventually and everyone will be safe again, until next time we have to deal with something like this. Its just so simple,blows my mind its not being done, but people are getting smarter everyday and holding their kids out of school,until its safe to go back, i guess the parents need to unite and get the schools closed,cleaned and safe once again!!
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 8:18 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Aimee from Corner Brook, NL writes: I believe that they are not taking this situation seriously. Not vaccinating our school-age children until things get critical or until we run out of vaccinations is very upseting and yet we keep them in school for fear of falling behind. As a mother of 3 and only 1 at school-age who has yet recieved the vaccination but everyone else in my family has already recieved it because of my husbands and myself being in the medical feild at putting us at high risk for H1N1. If they would only close the schools for 14 days until all of our children are protected with the vaccination. Protecting our children should be the #1 priority.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 10:10 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Aimee from Corner Brook, NL writes: I believe that they are not taking this situation seriously. Not vaccinating our school-age children until things get critical or until we run out of vaccinations is very upseting and yet we keep them in school for fear of falling behind. As a mother of 3 and only 1 at school-age who has yet recieved the vaccination but everyone else in my family has already recieved it because of my husbands and myself being in the medical feild at putting us at high risk for H1N1. If they would only close the schools for 14 days until all of our children are protected with the vaccination. Protecting our children should be the #1 priority.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 10:11 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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D from Corner Brook, NL writes: I have to agree with Aimee. Some things that get me are: The last I heard (please correct me if I am wrong...I hope that I am) the general public will get this vaccine before our school aged children. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Since when have children become a lesser priorty than healthy adults? I say this because the ones with chronic illness have already been allowed to get it. Another thing..If you wont close the schools how about any child in school who is coughing or showing signs of flu be sent home and made to stay there until it is cleared by a doctor that its not H1N1? They arent even doing this. In my sons class there were two children who coughed that much they would urge...um HELLO! Why was she never asked to stay home? Hence the reason my son is not there. Not everyone is for this vaccine would this put some parents minds at ease? I know it would mine. My daughter has already recieved the vaccine as she has asthma but my son hasnt. The last thing any of us want is for our children to get this.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 11:46 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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mother from Corner Brook, NL writes: As a mother of school age children, I too feel that the schools should be closed until every child has an opportunity to be vaccinated. If the school doesn't take this action, it is up to us as parents to do what we feel is in our children's best interest. All of my children have been vaccinated due to one of them being a severe asthmatic that gets hospitalized from a simple cold, but I have taken them all out of school until the vaccine has become effective in their systems. In my situation, falling a few weeks behind in school work is not nearly as important as my child's life. Even if I had to take them out for the rest of the school year and they had to repeat a grade, at least my child would be alive. We have to stop blaming the school board for doing what they feel is right (even if we don't agree), and do what we as parents feel right. Each family has a different situation and nobody can make these decisions but the parents.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 11:56 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Stephanie from Corner Brook, NL writes: I don't have a school aged child but I can say without a doubt that if he was I would not be sending him. I hope that these children would get vaccinated before the general public. It only seems fair since they are all in the age group that seems to be getting very ill. I can't even imagine having my child sick with this. It must be so frightening for the parents of children who have been infected. I do hope they decide to close schools soon until everyone has been vaccinated. I guess we will all have to keep our fingers crossed and pray that nobody else has to die from this.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 1:00 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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concern mother from nl writes: I have to agree with just about everybody who commented on this story...Regards of closing the schools...yes they should. I have children who attend school and some that doesn't yet..I also have a child who is 2 years old and cannot get vaccinated because of previous epsiodes from his regular needles..The remainder of my family WILL be getting the needle hoping that it will help to prevent him from getting the disease...What else am I suppose to do to protect my child???I also have 1 child who has asthma...
My children come home everyday and I ask them who has been in class today coughing up their lungs??PLEASE keep your children home if they have the little sign of anything until it is comfirmed by the doctor...Why are they waiting to give the school age children their shots...it doesn't make no sense at all,,give it to healthy adults before schools...Schools should of been a higher priorty then us adults..I am sure that you would agree on this.
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| Posted 03/11/2009 at 1:21 PM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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