`louis Armstrong' Show Marks Black History Month

Anna Albert

By KALEN CHURCHER kchurcher@leader.net
 Thursday, February 07, 2002 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 9A 





In recent weeks, the Greater Nanticoke Area School District has had to deal
with coughing, sneezing, upset stomachs and fatigue throughout its schools -
and that's just among the staff. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Superintendent Tony Perrone said Wednesday that so many teachers have
called off sick recently that he has been getting emergency certification for
recent college graduates so they can be substitutes. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ``Some come right out of school and haven't taken their (state
certification) test yet,'' he said. So far, Perrone has applied for and
received about six of the state certifications, leaving no classrooms in need
of teachers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 School districts throughout Luzerne County are faced annually with
increases in absenteeism during the winter months, but say this year has been
worse than most. School officials said a sickness often begins in one school
and works its way through the district, infecting teachers and students. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Catherine Kosenak, principal of Wyoming Valley West's Dana Elementary
Center, said the school has been able to find substitutes for its ill teachers
but has seen an increase in absent children and students going home sick. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Richard McGarvey, spokesman for the state Department of Health, said most
of the illnesses in the Wilkes-Barre area are colds, upper respiratory and
gastrointestinal problems. Few instances of the flu have been reported. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At Hanover Area Junior-Senior High School, officials canceled a school
dance and wrestlers did not participate Friday in the District II Class 2A
Duals Tournament Quarterfinals because of sickness. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``All last week it was terrible,'' said school nurse Marilyn Namey. ``We
had approximately 120 to 168 out of 1100 students absent. ... So pretty much,
we're running one in six.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 During Namey's four years at the district, this January was the worst she
has seen for illnesses. At the most, an average day yields 50 absent students. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This year's ``bug'' also has students out of school longer, Namey said.
Usually kids are absent for three days, she said, but this month, students
have been out for an entire week, with symptoms such as stomachaches remaining
when they return. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Namey said the number of students visiting the nurse's office has nearly
doubled to about 65 throughout the past few weeks. Some students' temperatures
have spiked to 102 degrees and a few cases of pneumonia and mononucleosis have
popped up. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Ted Kross, nursing manager for the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
emergency department, said the emergency room saw a 37 percent increase in
traffic during January. Many patients, he said, are elderly or under 2. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``Typically January and February are high-volume months for flu and upper
respiratory infections,'' Kross said, although a minimal number of flu cases
have surfaced. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Betsy DalSanto, spokeswoman for Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, said her
facility is experiencing situations similar to other local hospitals. ``It's
an ongoing issue. They tell me we're not diverting any patients, but we are
full.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Absenteeism Draining Pool Of Substitutes In Some Area School Districts, Students Aren't The Only Ones Missing Time Because Of Illness.