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Illnesses to close Rogue River Elementary this week By Kevin Opsahl Updated: Dec 12, 2022 05:39 PM A A After being “hit especially hard” with cases of illness, Rogue River Elementary will close Wednesday through Friday. Patrick Lee, Rogue River School District superintendent, made the announcement to families Monday, adding the school would be open Tuesday to give them more time to find child care solutions. South Valley Academy and the Junior/Senior High School, meanwhile, will remain open, as staffing levels are still adequate. So too will River’s Edge Academy Charter School. “At our elementary, we are now over 40% of staff and students out sick, which is what prompted the decision to close,” Lee stated. “We do not know what the prevailing illness is. We believe we have a stew which has a little bit of everything in it.” That “stew” includes COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus and influenza. Jackson County Public Health officials and Mercy Flights recently declared in a news release that incidences of flu are “high and circulating widely” and have “increased rapidly and earlier than in previous years.” In his Monday announcement, Lee noted multiple communications by the district had been sent to families over the past three weeks relating to illness, the importance of hygiene and staying home when sick. It was not clear late Monday if any other school districts in Jackson County would be closed Tuesday. Representatives with Medford, Eagle Point, Central Point and Butte Falls Charter schools confirmed their facilities would be open. Meanwhile, Phil Long, superintendent of Butte Falls Charter School District sent out a letter to families Monday stating that, despite a 40% illness rate, school would remain open “as long as there is enough staff to operate them safely.” He did, however, postpone two events that were scheduled this week. But the decision to close Rogue River Elementary for the week came the same day Prospect Charter School opened after closing for most of last week. That school had cited high cases of Influenza A as the reason for letting students out early Tuesday and shutting down Wednesday and Thursday. Prospect is a four-day instructional institution and does not have school Friday. The Rogue River School District superintendent went on to write the district has done “everything we can” to keep the elementary school’s doors open, even characterizing staff who helped as “rock stars” amid the accelerating flu season. However, efforts weren’t enough to keep the school running right now, according to Lee, who called the decision “incredibly difficult.” “There are employee considerations, contractual considerations, state requirements to consider and, most importantly, the considerations for the impact on those we serve. Even with many out sick, there are still hundreds of students and families that need us and rely on us daily,” Lee stated. “I do not like turning them away, but at this time I feel this is the best decision I can make.” Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.