MSAD #4

 
 Dear Parents.
 
Officials have ordered all schools in our district to close.  This order is because of the pandemic flu situation in our district.  All schools are immediately closed until further notice and children should stay home.  
 
Schools may be closed for days or even weeks to reduce contact among children and stop the spread of the flu.  We know that many students and their families are very sick.  We know this is a hard time for our community and our hearts go out to those who are ill.   Because the flu is easily spread from person-to-person, it is not safe for large groups of people to gather.  During this time, both children and adults should stay away from other people and groups as much as possible.  They should not gather in other locations such as shopping malls, movie theaters or community centers.
 
We know if may be hard to get a doctor’s appointment, go to a clinic or even be seen in a hospital emergency room.    
 
Here are some tips for helping those who are sick with the flu:

• Have them drink a lot of liquid (juice, water)
• Keep the sick person as comfortable as possible.  Rest is important.
• For fever, sore throat and muscle aches, in adults, use ibuprofen (Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol).  Do not use aspirin with children or teenagers; it can cause Reye’s syndrome, a life-threatening illness.  
• Keep tissues and trash bags within reach of the sick person.
• Be sure everyone in your home washes their hands frequently.  
• Keep the people who are sick with the flu away from the people who are not sick.  

More information on pandemic flu is available at www.pandemicflu.gov or the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org.
 
We will contact you as soon as we have information about when schools will reopen.