Kentuckiana schools fight back against sickness that canceled classes last week

HODGENVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) - While Hardin County Schools resumed classes on Monday, LaRue County Schools were still empty.

The two districts were two of many in the state that closed due to illness. Flu, strep and colds forced attendance numbers to plummet in the last few weeks.

"We were kind of expecting this thing to get worse before it got better," LaRue County Schools Superintendent David Raleigh said.

On a normal day, most schools in Kentucky see an attendance percentage of around 96%. Last week, some districts saw numbers begin to creep into the low-90s.

"They really weren't getting a whole lot better," Hardin County Schools spokesperson John Wright said of attendance numbers.

Hardin County closed Friday and so did Elizabethtown Independent Schools. In both school districts, it wasn't just students missing school because of sickness: Teachers, substitutes, bus drivers and other staff members couldn't avoid being under the weather either.

"When you talk about running out of bus drivers, and your substitute bus drivers are sick, that's a game-changer when you don't have people to get your kids to and from school," Raleigh said.

LaRue County used the off days, including Monday, to deep clean the schools. Custodians were hard at work cleaning desks, hallways and common areas.

However, the district decided to open its Healthy Kids Clinic for students and families who needed to be treated for their illness.

LaRue County's Healthy Kids Clinic was open at LCHS Monday — Despite school being closed, LaRue County's Healthy Kids Clinic was open for students and families at LCHS Monday.

"We just wanted to make sure, that even though we weren't in school, that those services are still available to our students and those families," Raleigh said.

Hardin County Schools, on the other hand, welcomed their students back to class Monday. Despite attendance numbers being low again, school officials think the day off will prove to have helped.

"We use those days to really get in these and deep clean, sanitize," Wright said.

School officials from both districts encourage students and their parents to be mindful of hand washing and not to return to school until a fever has been absent for more than 24 hours.

Hardin County plans to make up the missed day on President's Day, Feb. 17.