Fewer absences after
teachers’ cleaning day
Murphy – As she announced that schools would remain closed Friday for inclement weather, Cherokee County Schools Superintendent Jeana Conley had one more message for families.
“The long weekend will further enable illness to subside and allow staff another day to clean and disinfect,” she said.
When school was back in session Monday, some schools saw a significant reduction in absences, according to data from the school system. In fact, 11 of the 13 schools had less than 10 percent of the student body absent.
Data showed that after Murphy High School closed on Jan. 24, students did return healthier as only 65 students, or 14 percent, were sick on Jan. 27 – compared to 140 students, or 30.2 percent of the student body sick on Jan. 23. Teachers who were healthy – 17 teachers were sick, too – spent that Friday the school was closed thoroughly disinfecting the classrooms.
As other regional closures for illness were announced, some questioned the schools remaining open. Conley said as individual schools approach 20 percent absenteeism, the district will close the affected schools for deep cleaning.
On Feb. 5, The Oaks Academy in Marble was the only school above 20 percent at 34.9 percent sick. The other schools in the county had illness rates of 5-14.2 percent sick.
Polk County Schools, just across the state line in eastern Tennessee, announced on Feb. 4 that it was closing all of its schools for the remainder of the week due to the number of students and staff who were sick. The district consists of three elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools.
Murphy First Baptist Church closed its day-care center from Feb. 5 through Friday last week. It also asked parents to help keep everyone healthy by not sending their child to day care if their child is sick. Pinwheel after school program in Andrews canceled their activities for Feb. 5 due to 16 of their tutors being sick.
Illnesses in the schools included strep throat and influenza. Strep throat symptoms include sore throat, fever and swollen lymph nodes.
Flu symptoms include a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or feeling feverish, a cough and/or sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, headaches and/or body aches, chills, fatigue and nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. To prevent the flu, the Cherokee County Health Department recommends washing hands, getting the vaccine, avoiding being around anyone who is sick and staying home if sick.
The school calendar has eight days available for schools to close before days have to be made up at the end of the year.
According to Cherokee County Schools’ attendance policy, which follows state guidelines, 14 total absences per school year are allowed for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Seven total absences per semester are allowed for students in middle and high schools.
Absences may be excused if a parent provides a note to the teacher or principal within two days of the student’s return to school. Notes from a doctor are required if the student misses more than 10 days in a row.
State policy requires that notices are sent to parents when their child misses three, six and 10 days of schools.
If a child does have excessive absences – those over the amount allowed for their grade – parents will be asked to appear before the attendance committee. The committee decides on a case by case basis whether student should be given time to make up work, receive the grade they earned or suffer consequences, such as a reduced or failing grade. Students with documented chronic health issues are exempt.