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Raintree's Second Vaccination Clinic

Thank you for participating in our second H1N1 vaccination clinic. It was a success!

H1N1

Recently we attended a meeting at the health department about the H1N1 virus. As a school that serves young children and has a young staff, we must take very seriously the guidelines established for us by the CDC. Many guidelines are consistent with Raintree policy, but some are even more strict. We want to keep our school open because closing the school would have serious consequences for all of us. As you know H1N1 is a respiratory disease caused by a new virus, and it spreads easily among humans, especially the young. Flu viruses spread through the tiny droplets that come from the nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze. These tiny particles can be inhaled or transferred to others from surfaces such as doorknobs, telephones, toys, and countertops. Like seasonal flu, H1N1 symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Public health experts are concerned that the H1N1 virus may mutate and become more severe over time. H1N1 can cause a wide range of symptoms including fever greater than 100 degrees, cough, sore throat, runny nose, aches, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting. Under the guidance of the health department, here are the guidelines Raintree and other schools will follow to ensure a healthy school year:

  • Handwashing will be emphasized. If you sing a song, or count to 20 as you wash, it is more likely you will wash longer, and it's the friction that kills germs.

  • Children with a fever will be sent home from Raintree and may not return until they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

  • Children with diarrhea or who are vomiting will be sent home.

  • Children who are waiting to be sent home will be isolated in another part of the classroom, generally the nap room.

  • Children will be taught how to cough or sneeze into their inner elbow.

  • Surfaces will be washed with disinfectant daily including doorknobs and other areas of the classroom touched often.

  • We are asking parents not to send children to school who have a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, aches, chills, or are fatigued, have diarrhea or are vomiting.

If everyone is conscientious and follows these guidelines, we hope to minimize the number of cases of the flu at Raintree, however, if large numbers of our staff become infected, we will need your help to keep the school open. If you are interested in volunteering to help in a classroom, please contact us.

For more information about H1N1 Flu, go to: