VALLEY SCHOOLS Districts report on flu call-offs

Boardman and Canfield schools reported no increase in absenteeism.
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
Officials of the two area school districts reporting increases in absenteeism because of the flu say there is no cause for alarm.
In Youngstown, Superintendent Benjamin McGee said pupils should come to school as usual despite the flu outbreak.
"We do not have a flu epidemic in the system," McGee said. "We don't want to give the impression that there's any danger in coming to school," he told the board of education and people in the audience at Tuesday's board meeting.
In some cases where pupils went home with flulike symptoms, custodians promptly cleaned classrooms with disinfectant spray as a precaution. "Students should come to school until Friday," when Christmas vacation begins, he said.
Most absenteeism
The highest level of absenteeism in the system Tuesday was about 24 percent at Volney Rogers Junior High School, he said. There, he said 107 of 455 pupils were absent. Systemwide, attendance is averaging 86.5 percent, he said.
Austintown Superintendent Stan Watson said this morning that absenteeism was up in the district, with 330 of the 1,800 Fitch High School students absent from school Tuesday. The average number of students absent from Fitch is 75.
Watson said the absentees were the result of the flu, but were down Tuesday from Monday. He said about 40 fewer pupils districtwide were absent Tuesday from Monday.
"We've got a lot, there is no question. Hopefully we'll get to vacation and they [pupils] will get better," he said.
In Poland
Poland Superintendent Dr. Robert Zorn said this morning that absenteeism has increased, but not to a level where there is cause for concern. He said the elementary and middle schools have each had between nine and 23 absent pupils daily this week, but the Poland Seminary High School has had quite a few more.
"The only concern we had was at the high school. There were 230 kids out Monday. Yesterday that dropped down to 220, but I don't there is any reason to panic," he said.
The high school averages about 80 absentees on any given school day.
Zorn said many people assume all the pupils are absent because of the flu, but there could be other reasons for some of the absentees. He said absenteeism usually increases in the winter and just before Christmas break, which starts Friday.
Zorn said the schools are taking all precautions and disinfecting classrooms.
In Canfield
Canfield Superintendent Dante Zambrini said absenteeism throughout the district has been normal.
"We are very fortunate," he said.
Boardman Superintendent Don Dailey said absenteeism is up a little in two elementary schools and one middle school but nothing that would cause alarm. Absentees at the high school have been normal.
Struthers Superintendent Dr. Sandi DiBacco said the district has not seen an increase in pupil absentees.
"We haven't had a problem yet with student absentees. There have been more teachers ill than anything," she said.
According to DiBacco, about 25 teachers reported off ill Thursday and Friday with flulike symptoms. She said the average for teacher absenteeism is about two teachers a day districtwide.
Lowellville
Lowellville district building secretary Sue Barone said the schools there have seen a slight increase in absentees.
Barone said about 10 percent of pupils in the district have been absent each day this week since Monday. The average, she said, is about 3 percent of the district's approximately 650 pupils. She gave no reason for the absenteeism surge.
Columbiana County
Although attendance in the Salem City School District has been off lately by about 300, pupils have not been socked so far with the flu, said Joe Shivers, assistant superintendent. "It hasn't hit us yet," he said.
Absenteeism has been because of colds and other illnesses, Shivers said. District enrollment is about 2,400.
Leetonia Superintendent Tom Inchak said absenteeism has been higher than normal this week, but not excessive.
The nursing staff of Columbiana school district reported absenteeism up at the elementary and middle school because of colds and other respiratory ailments, but only a few cases of the flu have been reported.
Trumbull County
In Hubbard, Superintendent James Herrholtz said Roosevelt Elementary has been hardest hit by flu, with 94 of about 900 pupils out on any given day. Kindergarten is being the hardest hit.
Upwards of 15 of the district's 125 teachers have called off sick on a day.
Herrholtz said the district is not close to closing any schools, but the illnesses are being monitored. Additional cleaning is being done.
The district has only two more days of school until the holiday vacation. They don't return until Jan. 5.
In Niles
Niles Superintendent Patrick N. Guliano said officials are monitoring call-offs on a daily basis, but so far they have not been of epidemic proportions.
"I think you see a lot of schools closing when they are smaller districts, and everyone is in the same building," he said. "We have six buildings here, and the kids are a little more dispersed."
Officials in the McDonald school district say they have no more pupils reporting off than normal, and even those who called off sick are not reporting it's from the flu.
Badger, Champion, Lakeview and Howland districts say they have not been affected by flu.
A woman at John F. Kennedy High School in Warren said they had a number of students out last week due to flu, but they have since recovered.
Girard and Liberty
In Girard, Superintendent Marty Santillo said absenteeism is normal.
As in Girard, Liberty is not experiencing any difficulties.
"We're very pleased the kids are doing well," said Liberty Superintendent Larry Prince, noting that attendance is between 90 percent and 95 percent. "We've not seen the significant numbers with classic flu problem."
Officials at Warren City Schools could not be reached to comment this morning.
Western Pennsylvania
Absenteeism in the New Castle Area School District has increased, and Superintendent George Gabriel said it is likely because of the flu. George Washington Middle School normally has 60 to 70 pupils absent, but Tuesday there were 115. The high school also had about 250 pupils absent Tuesday, and it usually averages about 200. He said no extra precautions are being taken, but they do encourage pupils to stay home if they are sick.
Sharon City Schools have experienced a slight increase in pupil absences because of illness this week, a situation school officials believe is attributable to the flu.
Dr. Donna DeBonis, superintendent, said the district will be sending home a notice to parents this week advising them of flu symptoms and how to treat them.
Friday is the last day of classes before the two-week holiday break and that could help prevent spread of the disease, DeBonis said.
Officials in neighboring Farrell Area School District said they were sending kids home at the rate of six or seven a day with flu last week, but that's not any more than the usual daily illnesses, and numbers haven't increased this week.