UMATILLA, Oregon — Umatilla School District Students are starting their Thanksgiving break early due to illness.
In a letter sent to families and posted on social media, the school district said there was a surge of illnesses this week.
According to the district, more than 3o% of McNary Heights Elementary School students were absent Monday, Nov. 21. Umatilla High School was missing 25.3% of its students. Most of these absences were due to illness.
Additionally, nearly 29% of staff were absent from McNary Heights Elementary.
Prior to Monday, the school district said illness numbers were fairly typical.
The Umatilla School District has been working with Umatilla County Health to address the issue.
As a result, the school district has chosen to cancel school Tuesday, Nov. 22, in order to have classrooms sanitized and prevent further spread of illness.
Students will return on November 28th, after the Thanksgiving holiday.
However, any students exhibiting any of the following symptoms will be asked to stay home:
• Fever or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (very tired)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
In the letter, Superintendent Heidi Sipe apologized for any inconvenience caused by the closure, acknowledging the strain on parents to find childcare.
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