Northside Christian Academy in Wadsworth was closed on Tuesday due to illness.
The school said multiple students and staff have called out.
According to the school, a cleaning crew will be disinfecting the entire building.
The school's director, Cassandra Hartzler, sent News 5 the following statement:
Unfortunately, we made the tough decision to close school for today. We have a threshold percentage we go by when we have multiple absences in our building for staff and students. This day off will allow our 350 students and 45 staff members an extra day of recovery, or to just simply enjoy the sunshine for those that aren’t under the weather. We look forward to welcoming back our staff and students tomorrow!
The school posted this message to Facebook late Monday night:
Staff with Akron Children's School Based Health Services said they're seeing illness consistent with the season.
“Typically November through March is really the sick season and where a lot of kids tend to get sick,” explained Nurse Practitioner Teresa Fletcher, the lead advanced practice provider.
She said many of the nurses working in schools are reporting students with strep throat and the flu. Anyone with symptoms like fever and vomiting are advised to stay home.
“It’s super important to take care of yourself when you’re sick and not expose other people to your illness if you’re not feeling well,” Fletcher said.
The Prentiss Autism Center at the Cleveland area's Positive Education Program (PEP) also canceled school Tuesday due to staff illness.
News 5 also reached out to other larger school districts in Northeast Ohio. None have reported unusually high numbers of staff or students out sick.
Wadsworth parent Jacque Charles said her four children have avoided major illnesses this season, but she is staying vigilant.
“When one is sick, it can just [create a] domino effect through the whole house,” she said. “We’ve got to be on our kids and we’ve got to make sure we’re being good examples, too.”
Healthcare providers say eating healthy, getting enough sleep and practicing good hygiene are important to avoid illness.
“It’s really about getting back to those basics and keeping yourself clean and protecting yourself from illness," Fletcher said. "And then also doing things preventatively, like getting your flu shot. It’s not too late. It’s February, but it’s not too late. The flu is still out there and it can still help you.”
Dr. Amy Edwards, the associate medical director of pediatric infection control at UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, also recommended the COVID-19 and RSV vaccines as preventative measures.
She also said people experiencing symptoms should wear a mask to avoid spreading their illness to others.
Both Akron Children's and UH Rainbow Babies and Children's said they were experiencing illness levels typical for the time of year.
“This is definitely sick season. And usually when you get out of March, things look up and it’s a little bit better,” Fletcher said.
Northside Christian Academy said it was sanitizing its building on Tuesday and expected to reopen normally on Wednesday.
