Clearly this is an issue schools, parents, teachers and students will be dealing with this school year. State schools chief Jack O’Connell is holding a press conference at 10:30 a.m. today giving further advice on how to avoid contracting the flu during the school year when kids are sharing drinks, food, pens, etc.

For more info, check out: www.cde.ca.gov

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A student at Windsor High School has been confirmed as having contracted the H1N1 or swine flu virus, according to Windsor Superintendent Steve Herrington.

Classes started at Windsor High Aug. 13.

The student, whose name was not released, attended the first day of class Thursday but fell ill while at school and did not attend class on Friday.

His case was confirmed Wednesday.

School officials were instructed to send out an auto-dialer message, an email message was sent to all households with email accounts and information about swine flu is posted on the district website, Herrington said.

In addition, students who were in the ill boy’s classes or on the athletic team he is on were given a letter to bring home with advice for avoiding contracting the virus.

School personnel have been cleaning locker rooms, classrooms and other facilities nightly per the usual maintenance schedule, Herrington said. The virus does not live on a surface after two hours, he said.

“That is exactly what they want us to do,” Herrington said of county health department directives in dealing with the virus and alerting parents and students.

Students are reminded not to share water bottles, lip balm or other items that might transfer the virus. Frequent hand washing is also recommended.

Attendance at the high school has been normal in the first week, Herrington said. He did receive at least one report of a district parent keeping a child home after a parent contracted flu symptoms.

“I know it’s out there because it’s in the adult community,” he said.

More information on swine flu can be found on Windsor’s web site:

 http://www.wusd.org/pages/H1N1