Nebraska school district shuts down due to number of sick students

Shelby-Rising City Public Schools, located about an hour north of Lincoln, is closed through the end of the week due to several sicknesses plaguing students.

About a quarter of the 400 students were absent Tuesday, prompting the district to cancel school Wednesday and Thursday. There was no school planned Friday due to district wrestling.

Superintendent Tucker Tejkl said it was the best call for teachers and students.

“When it comes to students, are you being productive in class? Are you able to learn?” he asked. “Because, as you know, if you don't have all your kids there, or if there's a majority missing, it's really hard to move on in a lesson with things like that.”

He added that teachers were struggling with keeping lessons going amid low attendance.

“I credit my amazing staff on trying to fight through as much as they can, but I saw a lot that we're kind of struggling too. Plus, they have their own kids that are sick at home,” Tejkl said. “And kudos to our kids that want to try to be here and be here as long as they can, but even they were struggling, so I guess I took it out of their hands.”

Tejkl said both influenza A and B are going around, along with an illness that starts with a headache, plugs sinuses and ends with an upset stomach. Doctor’s notes have excused students from school for the week to recover.

On Tuesday, Tejkl said the day started with 60 students out and slowly grew to 113 throughout the day as the nurse sent more home. He consulted with Four Corners Health in York before making the decision.

Staff are using the time students are out to disinfect the building for when they return on Monday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently lists Nebraska as having “high” flu activity. The most recent data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, which covers the week that ended Jan. 31, shows that flu cases were up slightly statewide, as was the influenza test positivity rate.