September is just around the corner and so is another potential bout with the H1N1 virus or better known as swine flu. The biggest question on most people’s mind today with respect to this topic is when a vaccination will be available.
With the opening of schools in a few weeks, many people are concerned with when and how they can get their child vaccinated.
Recent reports released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that schools would be a likely place for the distribution of any type of vaccination. The New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA) feels that the decision of using schools for mass vaccinations should be left up to local officials, and therefore decisions about using schools will vary considerably from community to community. We encourage all school districts to work directly with their municipal and/or county health departments when considering such actions.
The CDC has recently created two very informative booklets that provide guidance to help decrease the spread of flu among students and school staff during the 2009-2010 school year. The first is titled, CDC’s Guidance for State and Local Public Health Officials and School Administrators for School (K-12) Responses to Influenza during the 2009-2010 School Year. The second, Preparing for the Flu: A Communications Toolkit for Schools (Grades K-12), was created to help implement the recommendations made in the first guide.
As a reminder, the New Jersey Department of Education, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, is hosting a summit on August 25, at the South Brunswick High School in Monmouth Junction, to assist school administrators, health officials, and emergency responders in the planning for a statewide pandemic influenza outbreak. Topics that will be addressed include:
-Federal Update
-NJ’s Pandemic Plan
-School Closures
-Continuity of Educational Services
-Promising Practices to Help School Districts
For more information on this summit, please click here.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
H1N1 School-closing Decisions are best made at the Local Level
The New Jersey Association of School Administrators (NJASA) supports the recent recommendations made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that any decisions to close schools due to a suspected outbreak of swine flu should be left up to local officials, and therefore decisions about school closings can vary considerably from community to community. We encourage all school districts to work directly with their municipal and/or county health departments when considering such actions.
The CDC indicates that closing schools is not recommended unless there is likely to be a high percentage of absenteeism among staff or students.
However, any benefit depends on the circumstances. School closing is an aggressive strategy for slowing the spread of any communicable disease, especially swine flu. Closing schools may help a community contain an outbreak, but less drastic measures may be just as effective. According to the CDC, guidelines for colleges and employers are set to be issued on August 23.
In a recent New York Times article from August 7 titled, Swine Flu Should Not Close Most Schools, Federal Officials Say; Education Secretary Arne Duncan said that some schools “will have to close,” and that administrators should be making plans to continue schooling at home, via telephones and the Internet.
The NJASA agrees with Secretary Duncan’s statement in spirit, however; the implementation of contingency plans may invite a host of unintended consequences.
The New Jersey Department of Education, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, is hosting a summit on August 25, at the South Brunswick High School in Monmouth Junction, to assist school administrators, health officials and emergency responders in the planning for a statewide pandemic influenza outbreak. Topics that will be addressed include:
-Federal Update
-NJ’s Pandemic Plan
-School Closures
-Continuity of Educational Services
-Promising Practices to Help School Districts
For more information on this summit, please click here.
The CDC indicates that closing schools is not recommended unless there is likely to be a high percentage of absenteeism among staff or students.
However, any benefit depends on the circumstances. School closing is an aggressive strategy for slowing the spread of any communicable disease, especially swine flu. Closing schools may help a community contain an outbreak, but less drastic measures may be just as effective. According to the CDC, guidelines for colleges and employers are set to be issued on August 23.
In a recent New York Times article from August 7 titled, Swine Flu Should Not Close Most Schools, Federal Officials Say; Education Secretary Arne Duncan said that some schools “will have to close,” and that administrators should be making plans to continue schooling at home, via telephones and the Internet.
The NJASA agrees with Secretary Duncan’s statement in spirit, however; the implementation of contingency plans may invite a host of unintended consequences.
The New Jersey Department of Education, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, is hosting a summit on August 25, at the South Brunswick High School in Monmouth Junction, to assist school administrators, health officials and emergency responders in the planning for a statewide pandemic influenza outbreak. Topics that will be addressed include:
-Federal Update
-NJ’s Pandemic Plan
-School Closures
-Continuity of Educational Services
-Promising Practices to Help School Districts
For more information on this summit, please click here.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Professional Learning Communities as a Catalyst for Change
Chief Education Officers, charged with Moving Education Forward, are leading in times that are far different from when this millennium began. Change is our consistent companion as we look at our changing world and changing needs of students. Creating and encouraging leaders at every level is one of the ways to really achieve lasting change and improve student achievement.
Designing opportunities for a collaborative culture and shared leadership roles through the development of Professional Learning Communities is the subject of an in-depth Curriculum Corner article in the next issue of NJASA's On Target, newsletter. Titled, Understanding Professional Learning Communities and Key Leadership Actions of the Superintendent, this article will give you some insight into Professional Learning Communities as a catalyst for change. Click here to read the article.
Designing opportunities for a collaborative culture and shared leadership roles through the development of Professional Learning Communities is the subject of an in-depth Curriculum Corner article in the next issue of NJASA's On Target, newsletter. Titled, Understanding Professional Learning Communities and Key Leadership Actions of the Superintendent, this article will give you some insight into Professional Learning Communities as a catalyst for change. Click here to read the article.
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