The number of Ark City students missing school due to illness is about double the normal level this week but school-district officials said they’re not ready to take any sort of emergency action.
"I know there are a bunch of rumors going around that we’re going to be closing schools," Alisha Call, a spokesperson for USD 470, said. "But it’s not true, were not canceling school."
Call said a school would only close if the district were ordered to do so by county health officials.
The absentee rate in Ark City schools is running at about 15 percent, about twice the normal average of 8 percent. Schools are asked to report absentee rates above 10 percent to the state.
It’s not possible at the moment to know how many students are sick with the flu, or specifically, the Swine Flue, Call said. Students are only required to say that their absence is due to illness.
"So the rate we have now includes all illnesses," Call said. "Could be a sinus infection a broken leg, anything."
With 700 to 800 students at the high school alone, an absentee rate of 15 percent would put absences in excess of 100 students.
David Brazil, administrator for the City-Cowley County Health Dept., said his office is in daily contact with local school districts in an attempt to monitor the flu situation. The health department also receives weekly absentee reports from each school district.
Brazil and Call both said the main message to students was to stay home if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms. There has been some discussion about offering H1N1 flu vaccine at school, but nothing has been finalized.
In general, the health department’s goal is to immunize as many people as possible.
"Right now we’re waiting on vaccine," Brazil said. "That’s the main thing."
