Rochester School Department Blog

November 1, 2009

Dear Parents:

I am writing to update you on the flu situation in New Hampshire and in our school system.

For several weeks, NH has been among the states where the Centers for Disease Control is reporting widespread influenza-like illness.  In addition, the NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is tracking school absences around the state.  We know that absences due to flu-like symptoms are increasing and that health care providers’ offices are becoming much busier.  In short, it is clear that the flu is in our communities, that it is spreading, and that more people will probably be affected before it peaks. Most cases of flu-like illnesses are now due to the H1N1 virus.  We don’t know whether the usual, “seasonal” flu will arrive later in the fall/winter.

School administrators and nurses continue to be in close touch with the NH DHHS re appropriate policies regarding prevention and management of illness in our schools.  Public health officials continue to stress the importance of personal hygiene, including frequent hand-washing, coughing into your sleeve, not sharing food or eating utensils, etc.

There are currently no routine recommendations to close schools in NH because of illness or to keep healthy children home from school.  However, it is important for children and staff who are sick to stay home from school, as well as from special events such as dances, birthday parties, family events and other public gatherings. Children should stay home unless seeking medical care until they have no fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.  If any family members who are pregnant, have asthma or any other underlying health condition become sick with flu like symptoms, they are advised to contact a health care provider at the onset of these symptoms.

Sick students will not be penalized for staying home.  All of the principals in our school district will make sure that students have ample opportunity to make up missed work.  Students do not need to provide a doctor’s note to explain their absence, but we do ask that parents contact their children’s school to let us know that they are out because of illness and to report whether they have flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, body aches, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea).

NH DHHS encourages all students and staff to get both the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines, if possible. This is especially important for children with chronic illnesses such as asthma and other underlying health conditions,  as well as for pregnant women.  Unfortunately, vaccine supplies all over the country are limited due to manufacturing delays.  We understand that many families have been frustrated by their inability to obtain vaccines for their children after being told how important it is.  Vaccine availability in NH changes on a daily basis.  Please contact your health care provider’s office to find out if your child can be immunized there.

For more information:   The NH DHHS has set up a special flu “hot-line” – just call 2-1-1 (8AM – 5PM) to talk to someone.  There is also a lot of reliable information on the CDC and NH DHHS websites:  www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu and http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/DHHS_SITE/swineflu.htm.  Please contact your family health care provider or school nurse if you have specific questions about your own children.

Thank you for working with us to keep everyone in our schools as healthy as possible during this flu season.

Andrew Babb is Rochester Rotary’s Rising Star for October 2009.  He is a Junior at Spaulding High School.  He is active in the AFJROTC and volunteers in numerous organizations.  

Congratulations to Andrew and  his family.

Full schedule

McClelland – Wed 10/7 at 7 pm.

RMS – Thurs 10/15 at 6:30 pm.

Maple Street – Friday 10/16 at 8:30 am.

William Allen – Wed 10/28 at 6:30 pm.

ERS/NLS (at East Rochester School) – Thurs 11/5 at 6 pm (but maybe a bit earlier or later).

Gonic School – Thurs evening 11/12 at 6 pm.

School Street – Tues 11/17 at 6:30 pm.

SHS – Wed 11/18 at 6 pm (library).

Paul School (and all Wakefield residents) – Thurs 11/19 at 6:30 pm.

Chamberlain – Thurs 10/29 at 6:30 pm

Ryan Hayward, from Spaulding High School  in Rochester, New Hampshire was selected to play with the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band down in San Antonio, Texas for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The game will be played January 9, 2010 at San Antonio’s Alamodome. Ryan was presented his U.S. Army All-American Marching Band jacket. He is one of 97 students nationwide from 1300 applicants.  He is the only student from New Hampshire and one of three from New England.

The U.S. Army All-American Marching Band performs at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on January 9th in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

 WELCOME TO THE 2010 U.S ARMY ALL-AMERICAN SELECTION TOUR

The Selection Tour for the tenth anniversary of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl kicks off on September 29. This year’s Selection Tour will recognize 187 high school football and marching band All-Americans from across the United States. The All-Americans will be honored by a local Army representative at a special ceremony in front of classmates, family, and media. The Selection Tour annually reaches over one million people, and has grown every year since its inception. For more information regarding locations and dates please contact Liz Meltzer at emeltzer@allamericangames.com.

On Monday, October 5th, Senator Shaheen visited Spaulding High School to review our energy conservation efforts.  We reviewed the two phases of energy conservation projects since 1995. 

The tour also included a visit to the boiler room at Spaulding High School and discussion of our most recent energy measures, a new hot water system.  The new system is 98% efficient using gas to heat hot water for the entire school.  This replaces a full size boiler.  The system will pay for itself in energy savings within one year. 

The Senator spoke with students from the Environmental Science classes.  The students shared their “green” projects and the recyling efforts in the past year. 

The students also spoke about the goal of reducing paper usage at the High School.  This effort has been very successful so far this year.

The following is a list of times and locations in which John Shea will be meeting with parents to discuss the Big Step Forward.  

Scheduled forums (focus on parents and Rochester citizens):

 * McClelland – Wed 10/7 at 7 pm.

 * RMS – Thurs 10/15 at 6:30 pm.

 * Maple Street – Friday 10/16 at 8:30 am.

 * William Allen – Wed 10/28 at 6:30 pm.

 * ERS/NLS (at East Rochester School) – Thurs 11/5 at 6 pm.

 * Gonic School – Thurs evening 11/12 at (6 p.m.). Gonic School – Thurs evening 11/12 at 6 pm…  NOT HAPPENING – NEW DATE/TIME IN THE WORKS.

 * School Street – Tues 11/17 at 6:30 pm.

 * SHS – Wed 11/18 at 6 pm (library).

 * Chamberlain –  THURS 10/29 AT 6:30 PM

The Drop out rate uses a formula approved by the State, but it is very close to the Federal Standard.  Students that leave school to pursue a GED, Job Corp, or really anything beside earning a diploma are considered drop outs. 

We keep track of all students that withdraw during a school year.  If they withdraw without going to another school, they are dropouts (W20).  Those students have until October 1st of the next school year to return to school, or they are considered drop outs for State reporting purposes.  So, we don’t know the number of drop outs from last year yet, since some are returning to school, others may be in other school systems.  Our W20’s from last year have been reduced significantly, but that can change between now and when the drop out data is published by the State.   Our W20’s have been reduced from 110 to about 65 so far this year.  We still have a lot of tracking to do, before any drop data is submitted and approved by the State.  A student might start in Septembe in another school system, but if they drop out before October 1st, they count as our drop out on the computerized system.

We are also responsible to make sure every student that left in June and did not graduate returns to school.  We are tracking all of those students.  We could give examples of how difficult it is to track those students. 

There are two drop out figures given, an annual figure and a four year figure.  The higher number is the four year figure.  It uses some calculations to state that the drop rate  for four years.   It isn’t just multiplying the yearly figure by 4.   I like to track the year to year figure, since we need to impact that to improve the four year figure. 

With the State ID system, all students that remain in the State and go to another school eventually get counted.  So, if we have a student that dropped out last year, and we can’t contact them, but they return to school in Manchester, they are not a drop out.    If they leave school in Manchester this year  (as an example) they would count as a drop out for Manchester. 

It is possible for a student to return to school after October 1st, then drop out and could be counted twice a drop out.  This shouldn’t happen, but if tracking the students is not accurate, it could happen.

The H1N1 updates should now be entitled influenza like illness (ILI).  In most cases, the H1N1 test is not given to a patient showing flu symptoms.  The patient is told to stay home, take normal precautions, and return to work or school after they are free of symptoms for 24 hours. 

We are tracking the ILI symptoms at each school for staff and students.  If there are any major changes, I will post information on this site. 

The immunizations should be ready the first week of October, but women who are pregnant, and health care workers will be the first to get the shots.  It may be months before the general population is eligible for the shots.

The School maintenance staff and vendors completed many maintenance projects this summer.  They are listed below:

1.  The fire suppression systems in the High School, Middle School and William Allen School kitchens were replaced. 

2.  The Nancy Loud School was painted.  The County Correction’s Department work release program finished this project.  The School District provided the supplies.

3.  Exterior Painting at the Creteau Tech Center was completed.

4.  New playground equipment was installed at East Rochester School.

5.  The Boilers at William Allen and Gonic School were replaced.

6.  The hot water system at Spaulding High School was replaced with a new efficient system.

7.  Walkways to the side entrances at Spaulding High School were repaired.

8.  We have nearly finished replacing the canopies at the High School side entrances.

9.  New carpeting was installed at the Nancy Loud School.

10. New carpeting was put on the stage at Gonic School and East Rochester School.

11. The Step Cafe renovation at the Tech Center is nearly 95% complete.

12.  The Greenhouse at the Tech Center should be completed in the next few weeks.

13.  Home Depot completed improvements on the grounds at School Street School.

14.  Roof repairs were completed throughout the District.

15.  The trailer and out buildings were demolished on the Hillsdale property.

The Rochester Middle School fire alarm system had 19 false alarms last year.  Several of these were accidents or someone pulled the alarm.  Most of these are related to malfunctions in the alarm system.  The school is safe, the system is working, but sometimes the control panel incorrectly reads something amiss in a smoke detector.  We have tried to replace the electronics in the control panel, the circuit boards, and the entire panel. 

The system is out of date, and requires a complete replacement.  The City Council approved the funding for this project on Tuesday, September 1st.  We have sent out an RFP for an engineer to draw up the specifications.  Once we have the specifications completed, we will move forward with the project as soon as possible.  We will ask the installer to work evenings and weekends, so there is not a disruption to the school day.  When all of the components are installed, it should be an easy switch over to the new system.