October 31, 2007

Dear Parents/ Guardians:

This letter is to inform parents and all members of the Hillside community what we in the Hillside Public Schools are doing to help protect children from Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA, a skin infection that is strongly resistant to antibiotic medication. Although it is not new, it has been largely isolated to hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities for a number of years. More recently, it's gradually migrated out of the healthcare facilities and into the general population, like fitness gyms, schools, professional athletic facilities, and other places where people are grouped closely together. It is not spread easily or through the air. Primarily, it must be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact or open wound-to-skin contact or between people that have a stressed immune system.

MRSA has also been reported in some schools in several states including New Jersey. Though the infection can be fatal, scientists have been working to develop stronger more effective antibiotics to combat the situation. Most persons that contract the infection will recover fully if it is identified and they receive early medical treatment. As we all become more aware of this infection, we will hear of more and more cases as they are reported.

MRSA is characterized by skin infections, such as abscesses, boils, and other pus-filled lesions, that are very contagious. It can occur anywhere on the body, usually at the site of skin-to-skin contact with the infection or an open wound.

Though we have not seen any cases of MRSA in Hillside as of yet, the Board of Education has taken steps to help protect and educate our students and staff regarding the prevention of MRSA. Last year, air purifiers designed specifically to kill the MRSA bacteria were purchased and placed in the girls' and boys' locker rooms as well as the weight room at the high school. And, strategic cleaning procedures have been implemented to prevent infection, including the following-

• the use of environmentally-friendly (non-toxic) antibacterial cleaning products that are especially effective in killing viruses and bacteria
• more frequent cleaning of targeted areas such as food-serving lines, nurses' offices, and busses
• more frequent cleaning of locker and team rooms and restrooms
• the installation of dispensers with antibacterial towelettes in locker rooms, nurses' offices, and cafeterias.

School officials have consulted with the Hillside Township Health Department and distributed information from the New Jersey Department of Education to further our prevention measures. Informative posters are being placed in locker rooms, nurses' offices, the weight room and athletic training room, and other areas around the schools to help remind students and staff that it is important to practice good hygiene skills all the time. These skills include -

• washing hands frequently, especially after using the restroom
• refraining from the sharing of towels or athletic equipment
• cleansing and covering all open cuts, scrapes, or wounds
• cleaning clothes and towels in hot water and drying with high heat

Parents are asked to reinforce these and other hygiene habits with their children at home.

More information about MRSA can be obtained from the following resources -

Hillside Twp Board of Health
1409 Liberty Ave
Hillside, NJ 07205
(973) 926-4535

The Center for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html

New Jersey State Department of Health
http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/mrsa/documents/mrsa_faq.pdf

We hope this information is helpful to you. If you have any questions or concerns about what we in Hillside are doing to prevent the spread of this or any other infectious disease, please call me at 908-352-7664, x 6400.

Sincerely,

Dr. Raymond Bandlow
Superintendent of Schools
Hillside Public Schools