Figures aren't in yet, but absenteeism seems to be up at Batavia-area schools, and it appears that many of the children who are missing school are sick, possibly with H1N1.
At Robert Morris Elementary School, a "spike" in absenteeism occurred last week when 25 percent of its students were absent on one or more days. Batavia Middle School, according to parents who have contacted The Batavian, has also seen a jump in flu-related absences.
Hundreds of kids in Batavia are either at home coping with the nasty gamut of flu-like symptoms, or they are being kept home by anxious caregivers who are taking every precaution to keep their children healthy.
Batavia City School Superintendent Margaret Puzio said today that on Friday she will have week-to-week comparison figures for absences at the schools.
"Absences are a bit higher and I understand parents are concerned about sick kids," Puzio said. "But the best defense is to handle this as you would any flu. The symptoms are fairly mild. We're not doing anything differently than we normally do during flu season, except cleaning on a daily basis."
If a child exhibits flu-like symptoms, he or she is sent home. It they are already sick, they should not attend school. If he or she misses several days of school, the guidance counselors are notified and they contact the home. If need be, they notify the teacher and a packet of learning materials is put together for a parent to pick up.
But some parents say there's a lack of communication from schools concerning the H1N1 virus and, in the void, some panic is beginning to set in.
"I am the father of an 8th grader at Batavia Middle School," complained one man, who did not want to be identified. "There may be hundreds of children with this virus and no phone calls or letters from the school. My child is seriously sick and all of his close friends."
He said he doesn't think parents are getting enough information from schools to decide if it's safe to send them there.
