While several school districts statewide have closed because of excessive absences due to the flu, both Brandon and Goodrich School districts have remained open’so far.
On Monday, the Goodrich District reported 265 students absent, about 12 percent of the population.
‘Our magic number is 546 students out or 25 percent of the population,? said John Fazer, district superintendent. ‘The number can jump very fast. The key is keeping the schools disinfected, and our maintenance staff is working to do that.?
Attendance numbers were about average this week in the Brandon School District, despite numerous cases of the H1N1 virus popping up across the state and nation.
On Wednesday, 295 students were absent in the district, 8.5 percent of the total student population.
‘This is normal in the district,? said Data and Pupil Services Coordinator Patti Dixon. ‘It’s nothing out of the ordinary for absentee rates.?
Superintendent Lorrie McMahon said that two students in the district reportedly have the virus, commonly known as swine flu; however, she had no way of knowing overall how many kids might actually have contracted the virus, since the average patient is not being tested for it.
The district would cancel the school day if 20-25 percent of students were absent (about 800 students), since the state requires 75 percent or more of students to be in attendance in order to count a day of instruction. McMahon said if one building was hit particularly hard, that school could be closed.
‘We definitely have kids and teachers out sick, but not enough to close down,? McMahon said. ‘We are just doing what the Oakland County Health Division tells us. Our attendance is good, and as long as we have sufficient attendance of students and staff, we’ll stay open.?