So far, no emergencyThe H1N1 flu made its presence known in the Powell schools last week, but so far, there has been no major outbreak.“If there was a concern (about absences due to the flu), nobody reported it to me,” Superintendent Kevin Mitchell said Monday.

Mitchell said the worst absentee report came early last week, when more than 80 students were absent from Powell High School on Monday, but he said there was no indication that all the absences were flu-related.

“It's the hunting season,” Mitchell said, “and that might have been part of the reason.”

Last week, PHS principal Bill Schwan said the number of absences declined to about 75, and by Wednesday it was only a few more than 50.

Mitchell said he was aware of only two teachers in the system who were absent due to the flu. Both head football coach Jim Stringer and head volleyball coach Cindi Smith were advised by their doctors to stay home.

“There could have been others, but nobody else reported having the flu,” he said.

Smith did return to work late in the week and coached her team during the weekend, but Stringer was not on the sidelines during the Panthers' game with Lander, according to reports.

“We're not in panic mode,” Mitchell said. “We would consider action if absentees reached 30 percent, or if too many of the staff were out, but right now, we're not anywhere close to that.”

Before canceling school, the district would have to communicate with the the Park County Public Health office and the Wyoming Department of Education, Mitchell said.