What many suspect is the H1N1 flu is keeping our kids out of school this year. Leaders at one Colorado Springs school district said Wednesday, the sick children could hurt every student next year.

Daycare owner, and mother of three Cassandra D'Amico, is no stranger to sick kids.

"My daughter was out a few days with some fever," she said Wednesday.

That follows District 11 recommendations and a trend as flu-like symptoms persist in schools.

"We're having up to about 21%, not anywhere near 40% thank goodness, but we are seeing an increase in number of students absent," said District 11 Spokesperson Elaine Naleski.

The timing couldn't be any worse, as the district tallies their students for the state's information. On Thursday, October 1, students will be counted in Colorado schools.

"Per-pupil funding for the year is based on that student count," Naleski said.

Naleski went on to say each student absent on count day represents on average $6,000 the district might not get for next school year.

"In these economic times the more students we have that means more funding for our district and that's very important to keep our programs," she said. "If our count is down, that really hurts us."

Naleski said that doesn't mean the district wants parents to send sick students to school.

Cassandra plans to follow that suggestion to help keep a bad situation from getting worse.

"That's why I would keep my children home and make sure if she did have something, she wasn't spreading it to somebody else," she said.

Naleski pointed out school districts have a five-day window on each side of count day to get an accurate tally for state funding. With the absences, it will mean officials will have to do extra paperwork to prove to the state that an absent student is enrolled in the district.

If you're wondering how to care for someone who has contracted the H1N1 strain of the flu, otherwise known as the Swine Flu, just click on the link below to open a document provided by the El Paso County Health Department.

Click here.