Dora school district closes because of illness among staff
DORA, N.M. (AP) — A small eastern New Mexico school district is closed due to illness among its staff.
Interim Superintendent Brandon Hays of Dora Consolidated Schools says schools are closed until Monday because illness among regular staff members and substitutes means the district can’t adequate cover its classrooms.
Hays says district employees planned to thoroughly sanitize the district’s facilities Thursday to reduce the spread of germs.
A letter sent by Hays to parents asks that kids be kept home if they have vomited overnight or in the morning before school and until they’ve been fever free for 24 hours without the help of medication.
The district has approximately 200 students.
Dora is 202 miles (325 kilometers) southeast of Albuquerque.
Last week, Eunice Schools closed for a Friday. With almost 14 percent of students absent from school early Thursday, and more checking out every hour to keep a doctor’s appointment due to “flu-like” symptoms, Eunice School Superintendent Dwain Haynes called time-out.
Like Dora, Eunice used to the day to let staff and students get better as well as sanitize the school.
“Due to the high incidence of illness in our school and community, the Eunice Public Schools have made the decision to cancel school Friday…. Please keep all of our students home,” Eunice Schools said in a statement to parents last week. “We encourage everyone to rest, drink lots of fluids, and wash, wash, wash your hands. Our custodial staff will be working hard to disinfect all areas of our school tomorrow and we look forward to everyone having a few days to recover and avoid exposure to the flu and other respiratory illnesses that are impacting our community.”
