Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 2016)
Wednesday, October 5, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 25 Schools keep an eye on flu season By Karen Keady Correspondent Although memories of summer are still fresh, school officials are already warning students and parents of the impending flu season. Registered nurses Trish Roy, who serves Sisters High School and Sisters Middle School, and David O’Keefe, the new nurse at Sisters Elementary School, both say October signals the possible beginning of the influenza season. “Flu starts in October and goes all the way into spring,” said Roy, adding that student absences go up during that period. She noted several guide- lines are listed on the dis- trict’s website to help parents decide when it’s appropri- ate to keep children home from school due to illness of any kind, not just flu. Those suggestions, approved by the Oregon Department of Education, urge keeping chil- dren at home when: • They have fevers of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Students are not permitted back to class until their temperature has been less than 100 for 24 hours without the use of fever- reducing medication. • They have vomited within the last 24 hours. • They have diarrhea. Students are not to return until they have been symp- tom-free for 24 hours. • They experience a per- sistent cough with fever or serious sustained coughing. • They have jaundice or a skin lesion that can’t be con- tained with a bandage. Those guidelines are found in the Sisters School District handbook, which parents and students are expected to read, Roy said. She acknowledged that it’s hard for a family to limit flu outbreaks once a member of the family is affected. “One child gets sick and chances are other members of the family will, too,” Roy said. It’s impossible to predict just how strong or mild the flu season will be, she added. However, thoroughly wash- ing hands for at least 20 sec- onds—making sure to lather up—is a good way to ward off illnesses of various kinds, according to the nurse. “That’s one of the best preventative measures,” Roy said. O’Keefe believes parents should keep their children at home if they’re suffer- ing from maladies not listed among the district’s guide- lines. Sometimes it’s diffi- cult to make the call whether school is warranted or not, he said, describing the decision as “a mixture of science and art.” photo by steve kadel flu starts in October and goes all the way into spring. — trish roy Also, O’Keefe said stu- dents might delay complete recovery from an illness by going back to school too soon. That could cause fatigue that keeps the prob- lem lingering, he said. The district has an online program to help students keep up with homework assignments during sick-time at home. At the high school School nurse trish roy helps Sisters Middle School sixth-grader Josie patton check her blood-sugar level during class. and elementary school, par- ents and students can register via the District website to use School Loop, which tracks students’ progress, assign- ments and other data. The middle school uses a program called Canvas, which allows the same kind of information to be accessed. School officials say getting homework assign- ments isn’t critical if a stu- dent is just gone a day or two, but it helps for those missing classes for longer than that. The Sisters School Based Health Center is an option for medical treatment for those up to 18 years of age. It operates through a partner- ship with medical sponsors, Deschutes County Health Services, and Sisters School District. The center is at 1680 W. McKinney Butte Rd. and more information is available by calling 541-526-6623. Students must be inocu- lated against several diseases in order to begin the school year. However, Roy said she has checked records of trans- ferring and other new stu- dents to make sure they’re in compliance. Bend Memorial Clinic Bend Memorial Clinic in Sisters has been taking care of local families for years. Dr. Fan practices at the Sisters clinic, where she finds being a small-town doc- tor richly rewarding. From routine shots to regular checkups, from helping folks get over illness to helping them plan to improve their health, Bend Memorial Clinic is there for the Sisters community. The BMC Sisters clinic team treats the whole patient, not just a collection of symptoms, and they tailor a healthcare plan that is unique and right for you. Bend Memorial Clinic also offers urgent-care ser- vices in Bend and Redmond, including imaging and lab services. And remember, no matter where you see your Bend Memorial Clinic provider, all your informa- tion is kept in a central electronic health record sys- tem so all physician notes are kept in one, confidential place for your Total Care.™ Acupuncture Chinese/Western Herbology Massage Therapy Nutritional Counseling Massage | Skin Care | Nails | Waxing The Gift of Giving Back An invitation to acknowledge those special people among us who would benefi t from the healing touch of massage. Our generous therapists are donating their time. Shibui is offering limited treatments FREE of charge to that special person. Nominate someone at info@shibuispa.com Sisters Acupuncture Center Greg Wieland L.Ac. 541-549-1523 | 352 E. Hood Ave., Ste. E State Licensed & Nationally Certifi ed — Since 1989 — SPA AT F I V E P I N E 541-549-6164 | www.ShibuiSpa.com 720 Buckaroo Trail, Sisters
