Swine Flu Fears Send More Students Home
AP Images
As students are sent home to decrease the spread of swine flu, cleaning crews are showing up to disinfect classrooms.
The Lake Dallas and Lake Worth school districts joined others Tuesday in closing amid concerns about swine flu.
Although the districts do not have any confirmed cases of swine flu (H1N1), they are closing as a precaution and to disinfect after students became ill with flu-like symptoms.
The Lake Worth school district will be closed until Friday, May 8. The closing comes after Miller Elementary School reported three probable swine flu cases, the Tarrant County Health Department said. Students and staff will not have to makeup the days lost due to the school closures, school officials said.
School officials' concern about one student with seasonal flu led to the closure of Lake Dallas ISD schools. The schools will reopen on Tuesday, May 12.
Northlake Elementary in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas announced it is closing due to six probable cases of swine flu.
The school is in the Richardson Independent School District, which was the first North Texas district to shut down a school because of swine flu concerns. Northlake Elementary has a tentative reopening set for Monday, May 11, school officials said.
On Monday, the Springtown Independent School District also announced it will be closing until next Monday.
Meanwhile, the Decatur Independent School District announced Tuesday that it will reopen all campuses on Wednesday, May 6.
The Texas Education Agency said districts may wish to use their bad weather make-up days or extend the school year to make up for lost time. They will also be allowed to seek a waiver, which would allow them to shorten the number of instructional days.
Click here for a complete list of schools that are closed.
