Swine flu shots coming to schools From staff reports The Weekly Post Published October 1, 2009 At last Thursday's DeKalb County Board of Education meeting, superintendent Charles Warren announced that H1N1 vaccinations will be available at county schools some time in mid- to late-October. The idea will be to vaccinate each child at the schools but no child will be forced to take a shot. "We'll pass out forms provided by the state," Warren said. "The children won't be vaccinated without written permission from their parents." He also said that even with a permission form, if the child says no, the shot won't be given. Shots for students and faculty members will be from 8 a.m.-noon on each school's designated day. In the afternoon, the teams will set up somewhere off campus for community clinics to vaccinate anyone who meets the state's criteria. Warren noted that "DeKalb has had no tremendous spike in absentees so far." Board president Mary Etta Bailey said that she has had a few phone calls from parents concerned about the lack of hot water in some school bathrooms. "I researched the issue and hot water isn't an issue for killing germs," she said. "Soap and friction from rubbing hands together and enough time doing it are the only things required." Warren said that all schools have dispensers for germ killing soaps in every bathroom and in the dining rooms. • A Geraldine student was expelled for the remainder of the school year for "a serious violation of school board policy." If the child wants to return to a DeKalb County school for the 2010-11 school year, he and his parents will have to appear before the board. • The board authorized Warren to submit paperwork for a share of the $169 million available to state schools in bond money. The Qualified School Construction Bonds are part of the federal stimulus package. It is available to school systems at no interest, for the purpose of construction. At this time, there are no plans to borrow the money, but Warren said this action will get DeKalb's name in the hat in case it is needed. Land was purchased last year to build a new school at Crossville. • The board approved to give the DeKalb County Youth Services Center $140, 795. The DCYSC is the new alternative school created by District Judge Steve Whitmire. The school, which opens Oct. 1, will be housed at the former alternative school at the technical school. Also, the board to give the Children's Advocacy Center $65,012 — around $12,000 less than last year. "Since the Youth Services Center is a start-up, the committee felt like it could use all the money it could get," Warren said. "Hopefully next year we will be able to get the funding back up to where it was." • A new bus route at Sylvania was approved. Assistant superintendent Glenn Mountain said that there were three routes in that area and all three are right at capacity. • Some of the county's trucks and buses will be put up for sale through sealed bid. • The board approved personnel changes throughout the system. • Updates on construction at Fyffe and Valley Head were given. The six-room addition at Fyffe is ahead of schedule but the rain and some labor issues have slowed things on the Valley Head gym. The next expected construction projects are cafeteria additions at Plainview and Geraldine. Share | Save | Mail | Print | Comment