Rash could delay summer break at West Branch

Beloit Elementary pupils may be required to make up four school days.

By ANGIE SCHMITT

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

BELOIT — West Branch Local School District pupils are still holding out hope that the Ohio General Assembly will step in to shorten their school year.

State Sen. John Bocierri of New Middletown, D-33rd, has been working to have the district excused from an Ohio law that requires schools to hold classes a minimum of 180 days, schools Superintendent Scott Weingart said in a letter to parents of West Branch pupils May 21.

West Branch pupils missed as many as four days after a mysterious rash affected its combined middle and elementary school building in March. Before the outbreak, pupils were scheduled to begin summer break June 6.

Weingart said he is holding out hope that an exception to the law for his district will be added to a state bill before June 6.

West Branch High School, as well as Knox and Damascus elementary schools, will continue through June 7, should the district’s exemption fall through, the letter said.

West Branch Middle School pupils will continue through June 8.

Beloit Elementary pupils will continue through June 12.

The outbreak

Weingart added that the final results of testing by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Mahoning County Hazardous Materials Response Team failed to uncover the cause of the rash outbreak that affected more than 35 pupils and staff.

The final round of testing returned the same results as preliminary testing: finding the cause of the rash indeterminate and that the school was clear of health hazards, he said.

Health officials did inform school administrators that they aren’t the first district that the enigmatic ailment has struck. Schools in 27 states have reported symptoms similar to the Beloit outbreak, he said.

“They all seem to have the same characteristics,” he said. “They tend to affect fourth and fifth graders, more of them girls than boys —which was our case.

“After a few weeks they seem to disappear as quickly as they came.”

The district will continue to be in contact with parents about the school’s summer schedule, Weingart said.

aschmitt@vindy.com