WOODBURY – When sitting in the classrooms at Nonewaug High School students and staff commonly hear a sniffle or cough echo through the class walls.
During the cold sickening “Ber months” (September, November, December) NHS students find themselves with newfound illnesses.
The Nonnewaug germs have affected almost everyone attending Nonnewaug.
Kailey Burgos has noticed the effect the germs have had on her fellow peers.
“When I’m sitting in class I notice more than 5 people get up to blow their nose,” Burgos says.
As these long cold months are approaching, students are coming to school sick while their fear of tallying up absence starts to kick in–but at what cost?
Linneah Brennan is one of many who worries illnesses can get in the way of the perfect attendance students strive for.
“The spread of germs has also been very difficult to manage,” says Brennan. “Now everyone is going to have more absences early on and you can only have so many absences per school year. It makes it more difficult for you to miss school later in the year because you already have days absent.”
When students and staff have this overwhelming fear of consequences due to having to stay home as a result of illnesses, they tend to ignore this unspoken rule so disciplinary action isn’t having to take place.
Now, students and staff all over the school are feeling the consequences of this domino effect. Nonnewaug High School is now in an ongoing epidemic.
“Stay home if you’re sick,” says Sandy Snabaitis, Nonnewaug High School nurse. “If you have any type of illness or a fever you need to wait 24 hours before returning to school.”
The main motto in the nurse’s office is “stay home if you’re sick.” But is that easier said than done?
“If you’re sick on a block day that’s a two days absent,” says Harper Vendt who recognizes the struggles of staying home if you’re sick. “But they say don’t go to school when you’re sick, but if I miss two days due to me being sick that’s 4 absences.”
Nonnewaug now has a problem that needs solving, a problem that isn’t so easy to solve. Although it isn’t unsolvable, it’s definitely not the easiest thing to fix.
Snabaitis understands students might need to come to school while under the weather, but shares her advice on how to tame this unruly germ problem.
“Cover your cough” suggests Snabaitis. “Wash your hands regularly.”
