The Garden City Telegram
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AP: Flu keeping students home in droves
Published 10/19/2009 in News
TOPEKA (AP) -- Large numbers of students are missing school and activities in Kansas as the flu strikes early and hard.
The state's first weekly report on student absenteeism caused by illness found that nearly 20 percent of the elementary schools and 25 percent of middle schools and high schools had 10 percent or more of their students absent during the week ending Oct. 9.
The information was included in the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's weekly influenza report. The department began gathering data on absenteeism related to illnesses last week through county health departments.
At Garden City USD 457, there were 568 students out of class on Oct. 12, which is about 7.6 percent of the district's 7,455 students.
Other school districts in western Kansas also are seeing many ill students.
In Lakin, Barbara Woodrow, registered nurse for the school district, said just less than 6 percent of the district's students were absent last week because of illness.
In Holcomb, there were 121 students out of class because of illness on Tuesday. That's about 12.5 percent of the district's 967 students. In Scott City, about 10 percent of the district enrollment was home sick on Tuesday.
Storm said most of the students are out for a day or two before feeling better.
In south-central Kansas, Arkansas City public schools spokeswoman Alisha Call said absenteeism districtwide is on average 15 percent above normal.
Call said she wasn't sure of the breakdown on the causes of absenteeism.
"We know if a student is out because of illness, it could be the flu, it could be something else," Call said. "We are reporting illnesses to the county."
In western Kansas, students in Ness City schools got an unscheduled two-day break earlier this month because of widespread illness.
Youth activities also are seeing attendance dwindle.
In suburban Kansas City's Johnson County, attendance is sparse at the AmeriKick karate studio. Instructor Jarrett Leiker counted the students in their white karate robes and pants during one class last week. Instead of 30, there were just 11.
His father, Bob Leiker, owner of the school, said most of the students were home sparring with the flu.
The staff is working to keep the facility clean. They swab the sinks, the doorways, the punching bags and especially the room-size mats.
"We're old school here," he said. "Clorox is our best weapon, and lots of it."
Staff writer Monica Springer contributed to this report.
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