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Stomach virus closes Alexandria school after 230 get sick

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON — About 230 students and faculty at an Alexandria elementary school are sick with a stomach illness, forcing the school to close on Friday, March 14.

In the past two days, nearly 200 students and more than 30 staff at John Adams Elementary School called out sick and exhibited symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, school officials say.

Chief Administrative Officer Tammy Ignacio for Alexandria City Public Schools spoke with members of the news media Friday and says the illness was first detected in the fourth grade wing of the school.

On Wednesday night, that area of the school was quarantined and cleaned but the virus still spread to other wings of the school by Thursday, according to Ignacio. After making the call to close school Friday, she says the facility will be cleaned “top to bottom” with a substance that consists of 10 percent bleach and the cleaning process will entail “the walls, the ceilings, the toys, the desks, pretty much every aspect of the building.”

The cleaning will be done in three steps.

“So if you miss anything the first time, you hit it the second and the third,” she says. “We’re also looking into a fogging process, which is very safe but it will kill the virus.”

School staff grew concerned Thursday when more than 100 students were absent from school and Ignacio says that number is “highly unusual.” In addition to those out sick, children and staff were in and out of the nurse’s office with vomiting and diarrhea. By lunch, the school determined this was a situation to get a handle on and a letter was sent home to parents.

John Adams Elementary consists of 820 students and 131 faculty on staff and is a pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade program.

The school is closed Friday so the facility and all shared surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected throughout the weekend. School is scheduled to resume on Monday, March 17.

The school is working in collaboration with the Alexandria Health Department to identify cases and prevent the further outbreak of this type of illness which is highly contagious and spread through contact with an infected person or through contact with contaminated food or objects. It is also known to thrive on surfaces such as doorknobs and lockers.

Many viruses and some bacteria can cause stomach illness or gastroenteritis, according to the Alexandria Health Department. The most likely cause at John Adams Elementary is a virus called norovirus.

Symptoms usually improve after two days but there is no medicine or treatment to shorten the illness. However, there are actions parents of students and the community can take to prevent additional people from catching the bug including:

  • Make sure a student washes his or her hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water for 20 seconds.
  • If a student develops vomiting or diarrhea, keep the child at home for 24 hours after the symptoms stop before sending the student back to school.
  • Inform school officials if a student is ill with the symptoms.
  • Watch for signs of dehydration. If an ill child is unable to drink fluids, call a doctor immediately if there are any concerns.

Ignacio says she is “absolutely” optimistic school will be open on Monday but if kids develop symptoms over the weekend and it’s Monday, she adds, “Please, please keep them home.”

In addition to Friday, students at John Adams have missed nine days of school due to weather conditions during the 2013-14 school year.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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