High absences, flu symptoms shut St. Charles East

[warriorpride]

www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/10/st-charles-east-high-school-flu-h1n1-symptoms-closure-cancellation-postpone.html

October 20, 2009 3:53 PM

St. Charles East High School will be shut down starting Wednesday through at least Friday this week due to "an unusually high amount of absences due to illness," the school said on its Web site.

"The high level of absences is beginning to impact normal school operations," the online statement said.

All athletic events and parent-night events for the week have been postponed until further notice. No other schools in the district will be affected.

According to the District 303 Web site, St. Charles East reported a "higher than normal" rate of absences, with many reports of flu-like symptoms.

School officials told cbs2chicago.com, 900 of the school's 2,100 students were absent today, a day after about 700 were absent.

Check back for additional information.

[title1parent]

www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/news/1839377,sce-reschedules-events_au102209.article

SCE reschedules events after flu outbreak

October 22, 2009

By PAUL DAILING [e-mail]
Although the focus is on getting St. Charles East High School students back in class, the School District is also trying to reschedule after-school activities ranging from football games to caveman musicals.

This week, the school canceled all classes and extracurriculars after nearly half the students were out sick. By the end of class Tuesday, 972 of the school's 2,200 students were at home, and the district decided to close the school until Monday.

But before the district can reschedule the week's after-school activities, they have to answer the big question: When can the kids go back to class?

"We have to determine if and when we can reopen school," St. Charles spokesman Jim Blaney said.

St. Charles East is the third school in the state to close because of reported increases in the level of influenza-type symptoms found among students, according to Illinois Department of Public Health. On Tuesday, school officials closed Farmersville Grade School in downstate Montgomery County, while Serena Grade School in LaSalle County closed on Monday.

No other school districts in the Fox Valley reported any outbreak of illness as extensive as that at St. Charles East.

Blaney said the school's closure, which will last at least through the week, will affect four major extracurricular events.

They are: the St. Charles East vs. St. Charles North football game; the 16th annual Kick-A-Thon; the girls volleyball game (all on Friday); and "UG: The Caveman Musical," originally set for Saturday and Sunday.

All of the events but the volleyball game were at East. The volleyball game was planned for Larkin High School.