Shelby-Rising City Public Schools, situated roughly an hour’s drive north of Lincoln, has announced a temporary closure due to a significant number of illnesses affecting its students. The school will remain closed through the end of the week.
With about 25% of the district’s 400 students absent on Tuesday, the decision was made to cancel classes on Wednesday and Thursday, with no classes scheduled for Friday due to a district wrestling event.
Superintendent Tucker Tejkl emphasized the importance of this decision for both students and teachers. “When it comes to students, are you being productive in class? Are you able to learn?” he questioned. “Because, as you know, if you don’t have all your kids there, or if there’s a majority missing, it’s really hard to move on in a lesson with things like that.”
Tejkl highlighted the challenges faced by educators in maintaining lesson continuity amidst low student attendance. “I credit my amazing staff on trying to fight through as much as they can, but I saw a lot that we’re kind of struggling too. Plus, they have their own kids that are sick at home,” he noted. “And kudos to our kids that want to try to be here and be here as long as they can, but even they were struggling, so I guess I took it out of their hands.”
The superintendent reported that both influenza A and B are circulating, along with an illness that starts with a headache, affects the sinuses, and ends with an upset stomach. Students have been provided with doctor’s notes to excuse their absence, allowing them time to recover.
Tuesday began with 60 students absent, a number that increased to 113 by the day’s end as more were sent home by the school nurse. Tejkl sought advice from Four Corners Health in York before deciding to close the school.
During the closure, staff are taking the opportunity to thoroughly disinfect the school facilities in preparation for students’ return on Monday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently rates Nebraska’s flu activity as “high.” Recent data from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, covering the week ending January 31, indicates a slight increase in flu cases and the influenza test positivity rate statewide.
