By Jackie Ayres
Raleigh County school nurse coordinator Ann Sammons gave board members an H1N1 update at Tuesday night�s regular board meeting.
Sammons said the county health department completed H1N1 flu vaccinations in all county schools on Friday.
The health department will make a second visit to elementary schools next Wednesday to administer a second vaccine to kids ages 9 and under, Sammons told the board.
�Preliminary numbers look like we�ve vaccinated approximately one-fourth of our student population,� she said. �We were very pleased with that number.�
Sammons told the board attendance rates are also up.
Elementary schools are reporting less than 10 percent of its students absent, while secondary schools are reporting less than 12 percent absent.
�We�re starting to see a bit of a decline with the H1N1 flu,� she told board members. �If we listen to what�s being predicted by our health officials, there will be another (H1N1) wave, probably in the springtime, and of course we�re still anticipating the arrival of the seasonal flu season.�
In the interim, Sammons said school officials will continue to take extra precautions against the flu.
In other news:
- Board president Rick Snuffer said Raleigh County will meet with its attorneys Monday to discuss a potential lawsuit against the state over non-pension retirement benefits, including health and life insurance.
Forty-nine of West Virginia�s counties threatened to take part in the lawsuit after the state estimated a $7.8 billion discrepancy in on-hand assets and the cost of funding the retiree benefits.
Snuffer told the board Raleigh County�s obligation would be in the millions.
�I�m assuming right now, from what I�m hearing, the counties are probably going to vote to sue the state,� Snuffer said.
�This is a state liability that has been shuffled to the counties and the state needs to deal with this. Their refusal to do such is what has caused this problem.�
- Wayne Rebich, who works for the Affiliated Construction Trades Foundation, addressed board members, saying he has a problem with out-of-state workers being paid to complete school construction jobs.
�We should be employing West Virginia people when we�re spending their taxpayers� money on public improvements,� Rebich told the board.
Although improvement projects generally go to the lowest bidder, Rebich says, �the state and the municipalities get that money back in taxes and people supporting their local communities and churches and businesses.�
Rebich says he�s also addressing the School Building Authority regarding the issue.
- Board members unanimously approved Academy of Careers and Technology vice principal Charles Pack moving into the role as ACT principal effective immediately.
Former principal Glenn Smith recently accepted the position of director of vocational education for in the central office. The position of ACT assistant principal will be posted.
- Director of nutrition Rose Cook told board members Raleigh County is one of 53 counties that received a Healthy Choices Award from the West Virginia Healthy Lifestyles Coalition on behalf of Gov. Joe Manchin.
The Healthy Choices Award was presented to the 53 counties that eliminated soft drinks during school hours. Cook thanked Superintendent Charlotte Hutchens and the board for their support in making Raleigh County schools a healthier place to learn.
� E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com
