By B.C. Manion
Pasco County Schools’ Superintendent Heather Fiorentino has decided to change the district’s procedure for alerting parents when a public health issue arises at a school.
In addition to sending any letter required by the health department home with students, the district also will use its automated telephone system to let parents know a letter is being sent and to ask parents to be sure to read it, said Summer Romagnoli, district spokeswoman.
The change is being made in response to a recent health alert at Zephyrhills High, after a case of bacterial meningitis involving a Zephyrhills High student.
A Zephyrhills High student died last week, but neither the school or health department confirmed the link.
The school district was notified of the confirmed case of meningitis late at night on Feb. 15. The district followed its protocol and alerted the health department, which sent personnel to the school on the following morning.
The health department worked with school officials to identify and notify any close contacts where treatment may be recommended.
Health department officials also prepared a letter to send home with students explaining what bacterial meningitis is and how it is transmitted.
After word got out about the issue, some parents expressed concern and frustration because they weren’t able to find out what was happening.
Federal privacy laws about health information and student privacy forbid the school district from providing identifiable information about the student who contracted the disease or others exposed to it.
An upset parent asked why the district didn’t use its automated telephone system to alert parents and Romagnoli brought that issue to Fiorentino’s attention.
The district has decided it will use the automated system if a future health alert arises, letting parents know a health department letter has been sent home with their child and asking parents to be sure to read the letter.
