School closings go beyond classroom

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - William C. Abney Academy has a student with a possible case of swine flu.

But the Grand Rapids charter school was in session Monday because health department officials were unable to contact the principal. The Kent County Health Department made recommendations Sunday night that William C. Abney, along with other area schools, close for seven calendar days as a health precaution. Ultimately, the decision was up to each district.

"(The health department representative) didn't have a way to get in touch with me, so we talked this morning," William C. Abney Academy Principal Lacey James said. "So what we decided was, we definitely will have school on Monday, and will contact the health department on Monday to figure out why William C. Abney was on the list."

The school will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and possibly the rest of the week.

"We're hoping we can resume school on Thursday, but if the health department is giving us guidelines and information that shows we should be out for the rest of the week, we will," James said.

Monday attendance was down 57 percent, compared with 90 percent last week.

Students armed with disinfectant wipes were cleaning their desks Monday and using plenty of hand sanitizer.

In the Grand Rapids Public School district, Brookside Elementary and Union High School are closed for one week.

At Union, the custodial staff disinfected and scrubbed every nook and cranny.

"Classroom desks, table tops, chairs, doorknobs, lockers, all that type of things," said Fred Myers, who was part of the cleaning team. "(We are) completely sanitizing all the classrooms and the entire building."

School administrators still have not decided how to make up the missed school days. One option is taking unused snow days.

In addition to the school closing, prom is being rescheduled for May 15.

"Some parents were concerned about the fact that they spent money on dresses or tuxedos and what's going to happen," said Ed Shalhoup, the Union High principal. "And I think we came up with the best solution we could under the circumstances."

The guidelines from the Michigan Department of Community Health recommend schools close for seven calendar days if there is a probable or confirmed swine flu case. Siblings of individuals with confirmed or probable cases should stay home for the same seven-day period.

Ninety-nine percent of the probable cases being sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are coming back positive, according to the Kent County Health Department.

When 24 Hour News 8 asked Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Bernard Taylor whether the measures he took to close schools were drastic, he said he won't take any chances.

"And for those who have a problem with that, everyone has an opinion until it affects that person's child. These are people's children that we're talking about and their health and safety, not to mention their education are the most important things to think about," Taylor said.

Brookside Elementary, the site of Tuesday's GRPS school board elections, will be open for voting.

"These facilities pose no danger (and) no hazard to people who are going to vote," Taylor said.