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Click Here 42 °F Forecast | Road Cams Saturday, January 31, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend December 16, 2003 Sickness boosts school absences Districts take steps to reduce spread as some local areas are hit hard By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Flu-like symptoms are waylaying Jackson County schools, where many more students than usual are calling in sick at some campuses. High fever, scratchy throats, nausea and vomiting have stricken students and teachers alike. "One kid came in and threw up all over my desk," said a secretary at Lone Pine Elementary School who asked not to be identified. "That’s the first time in my six years that somebody’s done that." On Monday, 43 of Lone Pine’s 550 students stayed home because of nausea, stomachaches or high fever. That is down from last week, when 55 students were sick. As many of 60 of the 290 students and a third of the 30 teachers at Rogue River Elementary School have stayed home at some point during the past month. Symptoms have varied. Advertisement "There’s the sudden fever and ‘I don’t feel well,’ " said Principal Michele Wolf. "There’s the barking seal cough, and then there’s the headache." The school has initiated steps to stop the spread of sickness, including requiring students to wash hands regularly and prohibiting sharing pencils. Sometimes as many as three or four students crowd into the health room because they don’t feel well. "We have the ones where they are in the hall and while you’re asking them what part hurts, they barf in the hall," said Wolf. She said Evans Valley Elementary, of which she is also principal, also has been hard hit by the bug. "At Evans Valley the subs (substitute teachers) were calling in sick and we had subs covering subs," she said. "It was unbelievable." Wolf remembers when it all began. "I got so sick about two months ago and that started it," she joked. "Now everybody blames me." Buzz Brazeau, assistant principal at North Medford High School, said illness is "hitting us hard" as well. Absenteeism is up just slightly to about 14 percent of students, but 25 percent of the staff fell sick last week. "A couple of days we (administrators) had to cover classes ourselves," said Brazeau. At Ashland High School, up to 25 percent of the 1,200 students were absent last week. "Our principal sent out a memo: ‘Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands,’ " said attendance secretary Barbara Newcomb. Principal Jeff Schlecht has requested that students showing signs of being contagious be sent home. He also told teachers to let students take as much time as they need to make up schoolwork. When students come to the office because they aren’t feeling well, Newcomb said she has to tell them, "I can’t send you to our health center because our nurse is out sick." Prospect School, which closed Thursday because of widespread illness and reported up to half of its student population out earlier in the week, was open Monday with only 22 absences out of 185 students. "At least we’re back up and going," said school Business Manager Snooks Boothby. Not every school has been hard hit by the bug. Karyn Lynch, principal at Crater High, said her school has experienced only a slight increase in absenteeism. But at nearby White City Elementary, Secretary Ronda Bagley said, "It’s pretty bad." About 60 of 430 students were absent Monday, down from 80 last week. "It’s mostly fevers and headaches," said Bagley. "It seems to be lasting awhile." Like most school officials, she said it was difficult to tell exactly what illness was striking students. Whatever the problem, Bagley was fighting off the bug herself. "I’m trying to catch it," she said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times