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We often hear about the health of our schools — fiancially or academically speaking — but school officials are also paying closer attention this year to the health of the students within those schools.

School principals and nurses should have received diocesan input for how to address flu prevention and outbreak this school year.

A few days after Cissy Frakes, one of two assistant superintendents for the Phoenix Diocese, addressed local principals about campus health and safety surrounding the swine flu, Catholic News Service wrote a related story on a national level. Read the full article.

The swine flu closed at least one Phoenix public school in April. The article cited school closure as a last resort effort to stop the spread.

According to an Associated Press article, school districts recently received a 10-page guidance memo from the state Education Department recommending emergency response plans and school closure and recovery plans.

The CNS story hinted that hand sanitizers will become more of a staple to stem the spread of germs. Such dispensers were already in place in Bourgade’s Madonna Hall where students eat lunch.

Marie Powell, executive director of Catholic education for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, sent notices during the summer to Catholic school officials urging them to be aware of government guidelines for handling the flu and advising them to make the necessary preparations.

For more information, check with your student’s principal or school nurse.