MPS superintendent addresses CA-MRSA fears

The following letter from Dr. Joyce Phillips, superintendent of Marshall Public Schools is posted on the district web site: (Link to the right of this page)

October 23, 2007

Dear Staff and Parents:

In the last several weeks, the news media has reported stories about students across the country who have contracted MRSA. Some staphylococcus bacteria are resistant to antibiotics; MRSA is one of them. Community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) is a strain that usually manifests itself as a skin infection that occurs in otherwise healthy people.

Last Friday, a Calhoun County school district reported that one of its students may have MRSA. While the key word here is “may,” I want you to know that Marshall Public Schools is being proactive. We want to do all we can to provide for the health and safety of our students.

This afternoon, the district’s leadership team met to discuss CA-MRSA, the preventative practices we currently implement, and the precautions we will put into place. Administrators have been provided with information about prevention and avoiding transmission, as well as practical advice to share with their staffs. Principals will work with our school nurse Sue Boley to schedule hand washing training for younger children. In addition, we are placing hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes in elementary, middle school, and high school classrooms.

We are working with the district’s custodial services to ensure classrooms continue to be cleaned with a disinfectant and with the transportation department to make sure bus seats are disinfected. The food service department already has a standard cleaning protocol that includes a regular disinfectant.

One of the best preventative measures is good personal hygiene. Keeping hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and warm water may seem simplistic. However, this one action has a major impact on preventing the transmission of any bacteria or virus. All of us can help with this simple measure and make a positive impact on containing CA-MRSA.

If you have questions, please contact a Marshall Public Schools’ principal, or call me at 781-1250, extension 1105. You will also find additional information at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools.

Sincerely,


Dr. Joyce Phillips