WTOL.com, Toledo's News Leader, News 11 | New middle school ready for H1N1
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By Tim Miller - bio | email
Posted by Nick Dutton - email
BOWLING GREEN, OH (WTOL) - The $27 million new Bowling Green Middle School will open its doors to students for the first time Tuesday. It's designed in some ways to prevent the spread of dangerous illnesses like the H1N1 virus or Swine Flu.
Seventh and eighth graders like Reagan Morman get to watch TV while they eat lunch at the new middle school that replaces the old Bowling Green Junior High.
"The gym is huge, the cafeteria is amazing. We have four flat screens in there. I think that's pretty cool," says Morman.
Principal Joe Zabowski says the school is ready for its 495 students. He showed off the school's spacious hallways, classrooms and their smart boards.
While the pricipal makes sure everything is ready for students, he's also making sure everything's ready for the H1N1 virus.
The Wood Co. Health Department says they expect an increase in cases this fall, but have told school leaders not to close just because of a few cases of H1N1.
"We've never had that in mind that we'd want to close. Again if you're sick, stay home and if we send you home, it's because you are running a fever at that point in time," says Principal Zabowski.
The new school has a state-of-the-art air filtration system which should help fight the spread of disease and even the desks are made with a material that makes them easier to clean.
A doctor with the Cleveland Clinic has advice for school leaders all over the state: "The school should have an opportunity for the student to be screened by a school nurse. They should anticipate they are going to need to have an area for these students to be held or housed temporarily, not a common area," says Dr. Thomas Tallman.
The Wood County Health Commissioner will hold an H1N1 training session with Bowling Green school administrators Sept. 9.
Bowling Green City school students returned to classes Tuesday morning, earlier than many other local districts.
School Board President Eric Myers says they started at this time last year, so the first semester would be finished before the December holiday break.
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