Forum at school addresses H1N1 in Gurnee

H1N1 flu was the lead topic at a periodic community forum hosted by the Woodland Elementary District board Tuesday night in Gurnee.

About 20 spectators attended the casual session to learn specifically how Woodland District 50 is handling H1N1 flu and posed questions to officials.

In addition, the forum featured discussion on a district community committee seeking ideas on how to a $3.5 million budget hole projected for the 2010-11 academic year.

H1N1 concerns have been worldwide. In an extreme case Monday, Ukraine ordered closure of the nation's schools for a week in an attempt to halt the spread of H1N1, also known as swine flu.

At Woodland, student absences due to influenzalike illness are being reported to the Lake County Health Department. Hand washing and cough etiquette are now taught to children and reinforced.

Responding to an audience query, District 50 Superintendent Joy Swoboda said students receive a squirt of hand sanitizer before using school computers. She said other H1N1 precautions include teachers routinely sanitizing desks.

"The teachers are taking responsibility and are being proactive," Swoboda said.

As for Woodland's effort to cover the projected $3.5 million hole, board President Lawrence Gregorash informed the crowd that input is coming from a financial advisory community task force that launched in September.

"This is not just the elected board members' community," Gregorash said.

Plans call for the group to issue recommendations on reductions and potential new-revenue sources to the elected Woodland board on Dec. 17. The school board will make the final financial decisions.

District 50 serves all of Gages Lake and Wildwood and parts of Gurnee, Grayslake, Park City, Third Lake, Old Mill Creek, Wadsworth, Lake Villa, Waukegan and Libertyville.