Jonesport-Beals Closes Schools For Tuesday

JONESPORT (NEWS CENTER) -- The Jonesport Elementary School, Beals Elementary School and Jonesport-Beals High School will be closed Tuesday because of high absentee rates amongst staff and students.

Superintendent Colleen Haskell says she talked with the principal at the elementary schools Sunday and several staff members had called out sick, and they were having a tough time getting substitute teachers.

Haskell says she decided Monday to keep the elementary schools closed Tuesday, dismiss the high school at noon on Monday, and keep all of the schools closed on Tuesday.

She said Monday's absentee rate at the high school was 46 percent, but not everyone out is sick.  "Some parents have some sick kids, so they decided to keep everyone home, but that doesn't mean everyone is sick," Haskell explained.

Haskell says because Wednesday is a holiday, it gives people an extra day to get better.  She added the schools are holding seasonal flu vaccine clinics on Thursday.

"We've been trying to get the H1N1 vaccine, but we don't have it confirmed that we have it yet," she said.

Haskell said last week she reported absentee rates to the state four times.  She said they ranged between 15 percent and 25 percent, but didn't have the exact numbers immediately available.  Any school absentee rates 15 percent or higher must be reported to the state.

There are approximately 263 students in the district, and 48 staff members.