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DoD schools begin tracking swine flu cases

Defense Department school officials have started tracking H1N1 cases while also making plans to continue children’s education if schools must close because of an influenza pandemic.

Officials planned to issue a data call to schools this month, asking them to start weekly reporting of the number of confirmed cases of H1N1, said Elaine Kanellis, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense Education Activity.

School officials had been tracking cases of all types of reported flu, Kanellis said, but stopped because most were self-reported and had not been confirmed, and the information was not useful to officials.

Meanwhile, superintendents must submit their schools’ continuing education plans to DoDEA by the end of October.

“We ask that teachers develop a plan of what they would do if school closes,” said Marc Mossburg, chief of curriculum for DoDEA, during an Oct. 14 meeting of the Advisory Council on Dependents’ Education.

“How could they come together after a normal duty day at an alternate location and then deliver instruction to students at that time?” Mossburg said. “That’s what we want schools to think through — the continuation of school so we’re not losing that time.”

Installation commanders have authority to close schools in the event of a pandemic, according to Defense Department regulations, said Bob Blewis, DoDEA chief of staff, although the decision will be made in collaboration with military health officials and school administrators.

DoDEA Director Shirley Miles said that unlike many U.S. public school districts, it’s not easy for DoDEA to extend school for two or three weeks at the end of the year.

“That’s when our children move,” she said. “We do have to have plans in place for the continuation of learning if in fact we have to close school down.”

In addition to other steps such as providing information on its Web site, DoDEA has provided funds for principals to buy hand sanitizers for all classrooms, including some nonalcohol-based products for those who are allergic to alcohol, Miles said.