The Paly administration prepared for an outbreak of H1N1 (Swine flu), as it keeps the community informed and creating a plan in case of a school closure.

According to The Contra Costa Times, nine schools have been closed thus far, but most of the schools reopened by May 4. In light of this situation, the Paly administration needs to be ready for a case to appear.

“There is massive press coverage, new information from the scientific community that 1700 people may now be infected,” Principal McEvoy said. “We’re ready to close. We have a plan in place.”

According to McEvoy, the district has an emergency voice mail system set up, which could contact every home in Palo Alto in 2-3 hours.

“If one person in the adult school, district office, or school tests positive, the school will close,” McEvoy said. “If the school were to close, the problem will arise of what to do about missed school days. It is required to have 180 days of education, so we can either make up the days at the end of the year or apply for a waiver. Since it would be an emergency situation, a waiver would probably be granted.”

According to Assistant Superintendent Scott Lawrence, two ways to continue instruction from home in the case of a school closure are using InClass or mailing packets of work to the students’ homes.

Lawrence said that all school nurses and secretaries have been brought in for training on how to deal with the outbreak.

According to an e-mail sent to the entire staff by McEvoy, children with fevers will be sent home, and sanitary practices such as covering coughs, using tissues, and washing hands should be enforced to reduce the spread of germs.

Staff members were told to “pay particular attention to a child who has recently been on an airplane or who has recently returned from Mexico,” according to district guidelines.

McEvoy said that there is nothing to be done about swine flu other than keeping people informed and being prepared.

“Once it [swine flu] gets airborne, it’s really a matter of chance,” McEvoy said. “I don’t worry a lot about things I don’t have a lot of control over. You just have to be ready.”

Although the school should be prepared for a potential outbreak, at this point, an outbreak at Paly is “very doubtful” due to the warmer weather, according to Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson.