Flu closes OISD for disinfection

Students and staff at the Olney Independent School District got an unexpected break from classes last week so that maintenance crews could disinfect the campuses.

“At the end of the day Monday, we had 148 students and 28 staff members absent predominantly with illness,” OISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Roach said. “Hardest hit was the elementary school with 33 percent of the student population absent.”

He said that staff and students were leaving throughout the day last Monday and those projected absences led to the decision to close the school campuses for at least two days.

Dr. Roach extended the shutdown through Friday, to give the illnesses - predominantly influenza - a chance to run its course and to allow OISD maintenance staff time to clean and fog the buildings and buses.

The district continued holding extracurricular practices and games, he said.

Olney schools were among seven districts in the region that canceled classes because of a high level of absenteeism. Those school districts are Archer City, Graham, Electra, Chillicothe, Benjamin, and Crowell. All of the districts were closed from last Tuesday through Friday.

Dr. Roach said the episode marked the first cancellation of classes since

the COVID-19 pandemic.

School officials said the main cause of the absences were strep throat, a stomach virus, influenza and some COVID.

The students “hopefully will no have to make up” the missed days, as the district has one spare day left in the year, Dr. Roach said.