BATON ROUGE - With flu season getting started in October, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System is trying to get a grip on it before it peaks.

Thursday, nurses were at Claiborne Elementary School to give vaccinations to 142 students.

Consent forms were sent to the parents of all 42,500 students in the parish.

Superintendent Warren Drake said last year they were able to vaccinate 25 percent of all students. But this year, they hope to reach 40 percent.

"I'm going to e-mail all principals to remind them that this is an opportunity. Make sure you get that permission slip to all parents because they have to agree to it," said Drake.

The school system is conducting the vaccinations along with Health Centers in Schools and Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital.

Flu season usually peaks between December and February and typically ends in May.