Schools cleaning while closed for the flu

Public schools in Meigs, McMinn, Bradley County and Cleveland City were all closed today in response to the flu outbreak.

Meigs seems to be hit the hardest with about a third of the students and teachers affected.

Staff members are helping custodians clean up some schools.

MILBURN HARMON, ASST. DIR., MEIGS CO. SCHOOLS “Well, it’s just all hands on deck, we’ve got, a few custodians that are out, with the flu, so we’re just doing what we can to help out, get everything ready for Monday.”

The Assistant Director of Meigs County Schools was personally sanitizing the high school today, using Clorox Wipes and Lysol.
By Monday the hope is that students will stop infecting each other.
Parents are being urged to keep their kids home next week, if they see flu symptoms.

HARMON “We’ve kind of gotten that word out, most of them had started calling in on Monday and Tuesday even before we cancelled and said that they were going to keep some kids home, that they weren’t sure, and we told them, you know, just use your best judgement, if you think they’re sick then leave them at home, for sure.”

Harmon is a 37 year veteran teacher who says this is the worst year he’s seen for illness, He says that about 30 percent of the student population has been sick.

Cleveland City schools are were also closed today and won’t open until next Tuesday.

DOUG MOORE , DIR. STUDENT SERVICES, CLEVELAND CITY SCHOOLS “Really it was our teaching staff we started our staff was, getting sick and bus drivers were getting sick so that was really an issue for us a well.”

Moore says there are good reasons to let the school stay empty for a day or so.

DOUG MOORE “That just gives us an opportunity to kind of let, things die down a little bit as far as maybe run their course, with the flu and whatever other sicknesses and illnesses that have been going on.” . . . maybe those things can run their course and it gives our janitorial services an opportunity to do some deep cleaning in the buildings.”