Bridgewater Emery Cancels Classes For Illness

by Jeff Rusack, Reporter
February 08, 2013 5:41 PM


More than 50 of the 300 Bridgewater Emery students did not come to school Thursday and another 20 had to head home early. Forcing the school's administration to cancel classes Friday.

Empty desks and empty hallways, classes cancelled due to illness.

“We have what we would consider and extreme illness outbreak,” said Principal Christena Schultz.  

Flu like symptoms began in the school district a few weeks ago but the bug spread rapidly Thursday.

“We had high school kids just sitting here and fine one minute and the next minute vomiting in a classroom not even able to get up and go,” said Schultz.  

In some classes as many as half the students were out sick now, teachers, administration, and custodians are disinfecting the school.

“Just trying to wipe down everything that we can. We use a very strong disinfecting spray that has been recommended. We’ve just been cleaning down all the door handles cleaning out all the lockers, railings, just all of those places where germs seem to hide,” said Schultz.

While nearly a third of the high school took sick days Thursday, teachers who rarely call in were feeling the effects of the sickness as well.

“They've probably had more sick days in the last three weeks than they have in their last 30 some years,” said Schultz.

Christena Schutlz has been at the school for nearly 20 years and says she’s never seen an outbreak like this.  

“I haven’t seen this many kids out at one time. Maybe this amount of kids over a week, a week and a half but not in a one shot deal,” said Schultz.

Cleaning desks and lockers hoping whatever caused so many to feel ill will be out of the schools hallways by Monday.

The principal felt more students would have taken a sick day Thursday but some student athletes stayed in school because they wanted to play in their basketball game.