Schools
Glenbrook Teacher Who Died Had Meningococcal Disease
Public health, school officials note there is no reason for concern.
is mourning Thursday's death of a 41-year-old special education teacher.
A notice posted Thursday on the GBN website said a teacher had recently been diagnosed with Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcal disease, and was receiving the appropriate treatment at a local hospital. (Click on the PDF at the right to read the notice.)
An e-mail sent later from the school district . Officials stated that medical privacy laws precluded them from saying what she died of.
Find out what's happening in Northbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Keep updated on all Northbrook news by signing up for our morning newsletter.
Public health authorities stated there is no cause for concerns and were not recommending any additional prevenative actions for the school, students or staff at GBN. The school has been working with Cook County Public Health Department, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Glenbrook Hospital throughout this situation.
Find out what's happening in Northbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Neisseria meningitidis is a bacterium that can cause meningitis. Meningitis is an inflammation of the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord. This bacterium can also cause a serious bloodstream infection, according to the notice.
For more information, the school suggested contacting your primary healthcare physician or the school nurse. The CDC also provides information on their website.
GBN Springfest and prom will go on as scheduled, school officials said.
Counselors and social workers are readily available to help students and staff as needed.
The school had a moment of silence over the school's intercom in her memory, district officials said.
Polikov graduated from Glenbrook North in 1989 and returned to teach special education in 1997. She was a graduate of the University of Kansas, according to District 225.
Her funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Shalom Memorial Park, 1700 W Rand Rd., in Arlington Heights. Donations can be made to the Ricky Walowitz Memorial Fund, 3964 W. Dundee Rd., Northbrook.
Did you know Jodi Polikov? Please share your memories of her in the comments below.
