Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Palmyra High School Keeping Eye on Absenteeism
posted 10/26/09 9:45 pm
Palmyra, Pa. - It's early into the school year, but schools and classrooms seem emptier. Students are home sick with the swine flu and other bugs. Some districts say they may have to look at other options if absenteeism rates continue to rise.
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"Especially today, like everyone was talking about it because how many people were out. And, we just wonder if everyone's out because of the swine flu or what they're out for," said student Preston Bare.
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The district's superintendent, Dr. Larry Schmidt, said absenteeism at the high school is around ten percent which is just slightly higher than normal. If that number climbed to thirty percent or higher, he said he would only then consider closing school.
"It would come to online instruction if we closed our schools, and then I guess it would take some action from the state also because we would have to get permission to count those days if students were actually doing online work," said Dr. Schmidt.
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With the swine flu, the district said the average time a sick student is out is less than a week.
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"Our students are out probably a maximum of four days. We're not anticipating them having any trouble making up the work that they've missed," added Dr. Schmidt.
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Students said classmates who came back after having the swine flu warned friends that the virus kept them in bed for several days.
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"They said it was worse than the regular flu, home longer. They had a higher fever than a regular flu would," said student Cari Bly.
http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/1009/672397.html#
posted 10/26/09 9:45 pm
Palmyra, Pa. - It's early into the school year, but schools and classrooms seem emptier. Students are home sick with the swine flu and other bugs. Some districts say they may have to look at other options if absenteeism rates continue to rise.
<!PARA1!>
"Especially today, like everyone was talking about it because how many people were out. And, we just wonder if everyone's out because of the swine flu or what they're out for," said student Preston Bare.
<!PARA2!>
The district's superintendent, Dr. Larry Schmidt, said absenteeism at the high school is around ten percent which is just slightly higher than normal. If that number climbed to thirty percent or higher, he said he would only then consider closing school.
"It would come to online instruction if we closed our schools, and then I guess it would take some action from the state also because we would have to get permission to count those days if students were actually doing online work," said Dr. Schmidt.
<!PARA4!>
With the swine flu, the district said the average time a sick student is out is less than a week.
<!PARA5!>
"Our students are out probably a maximum of four days. We're not anticipating them having any trouble making up the work that they've missed," added Dr. Schmidt.
<!PARA6!>
Students said classmates who came back after having the swine flu warned friends that the virus kept them in bed for several days.
<!PARA7!>
"They said it was worse than the regular flu, home longer. They had a higher fever than a regular flu would," said student Cari Bly.
http://www.whtm.com/news/stories/1009/672397.html#