Bow schools are leading New Hampshire in an unhappy category: the highest absence rates linked to the flu. But state health officials warn the district is unlikely to stay ahead.

The absences in Bow peaked Thursday, when 27 percent of high school students and 29 percent of middle school students were reported absent. At the elementary school, where the spate of flu symptoms began last week, absences Thursday were at 13 percent.

"It's a little bit spotty," said Superintendent Dean Cascadden. "You'll walk into one class and there will be half the kids missing. You'll walk into another class and almost all the kids will be there."

It's not the usual attendance rate in Bow, but the state director of public health says Bow is a model for keeping sick kids home. No district has reported flu-related absence rates as high as Bow, said Dr. Jose Montero.

"Right now Bow may have some of the highest absenteeism rates we've seen," Montero said. "But it's basically what we're going to see all across the state as H1N1 expands."

The pummeling has been severe this week at Bow Memorial School, where 141 students were counted absent Wednesday and 150 were on Thursday. Principal Kirk Spofford canceled homework for the week so sick middle school students could focus on getting better. He said the community is handling the situation well, with parents coming right away to bring sick kids home. Few teachers at district schools have called in sick, so classes have proceeded as usual.

"There's no sense of alarm in the building at all," Spofford said.

At Bow High School, students with sore throats, coughs, headaches and stomachaches have packed the office of school nurse Leslie Bean.

"I'm seeing more elevated temperatures than I've experienced ever," Bean said.

She straps masks onto students waiting to go home but doesn't wear one herself. Bean said she's counting on getting rest, drinking liquids and taking vitamins - her regular preventative advice - to keep herself healthy.

Most sick students have stayed home for three to five days and recovered fully, Cascadden said. There has been one lab-confirmed case of H1N1 in the district, a result that shows the virus is in Bow but does little to affect the treatment of sick kids.

"It doesn't matter if you have H1N1 confirmed or not," Montero said. "Influenza-like illness you need to manage in just one way."

That's by washing hands, covering coughs and staying home if you feel sick, he said.

Bow officials have been in "permanent communication" with the state health department since the absence rates first spiked, Montero said. He complimented parents on keeping sick children home and looking out for other children whose parents are at work.

"I want to congratulate the Bow community and ask them to keep doing what they are doing," he said.

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