By Andrew Hackmack
Superintendent Dr. Marc Bernstein made the decision Tuesday night to close the school on Wednesday and Thursday, and an automated call went out to all parents.
All others schools in the district remained open, though single confirmed cases of the virus were reported at three elementary schools - Howell Road, Forest Road and Robert W. Carbonaro.
Bernstein said that the Nassau County Department of Health recommends that a school be closed only when a large number of absences would affect its operations. He said he anticipated that when parents found out about the outbreak at Memorial, they would pull their children out of school. "Therefore, we will not have a normal school day," he said.
Bernstein noted that the health department recommends that an affected school remain closed for a week. With school scheduled to be closed on Friday and Monday for the holiday weekend, the two-day closure this week accomplishes that.
Central/Memorial PTSA President Tony Spezio said he agreed with the district's decision to close the school, and that it would allow time for the building to be sanitized and prepared for next week.
Because of Valley Stream's proximity to New York City, where a number of cases have been reported, Spezio said it was not a surprise that there was an outbreak here. "Everyone was waiting - when is it going to happen?" he said. "We all figured it's only a matter of time."
Forest Road PTA Co-President James Lavery said he had spoken to many parents of students from his school in recent days, and many had expressed the same concern, and wanted the building closed. Once the high school district decided to close Memorial, he said, many felt that the same action should be taken at Forest Road.
On Wednesday, Superintendent Dr. Elaine Kanas reported that 119 students of 287 at Forest Road were absent. Most were not in school because their parents were keeping them out of school as a precaution, she said.
Lisa Farkash, a mother of two, was one of those parents. "I kept them home because there's a possibility that they could get sick - a very, very strong possibility," Farkash said. "I would not put my child in that environment."
Farkash questioned why the district did not close the school when, for several days, an average of 40 children -- many with flu symptoms -- have been home sick.
Kanas said that district officials were following the recommendation of the Nassau County and state health departments. "The way we have to make decisions is we have to make them based on a standard," Kanas said. A letter dated May 19 from Abby Greenberg, director of the Nassau County Department of Health, recommended that the school not be closed.
The lone case of H1N1 at Forest Road was reported to the district on Monday evening. "The child is back in school," Kanas said on Tuesday night. "After a certain number of days, they're recovered."
She said that district officials have been in constant contact with the county health department, and all information regarding student absences at the school and throughout the district has been reported. Results are still pending for an additional 12 students at the school who were tested last week.
District 24 Superintendent Dr. Ed Fale also reported a higher than average absentee rate at Carbonaro on Wednesday, but stood by the decision to remain open. "We are following the guidelines of the Nassau County health department and the state health department," Fale said.
District 13 Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Lison reported that 21 percent of students districtwide were absent on Wednesday. The highest percentage was at Howell where the single confirmed case was reported, with 246 of the school's 567 children out of school. Lison said she chose to stand behind the health department's recommendation, and have teachers review good hygiene procedures with students.
Comments about this story? AHackmack@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265.
