With more than a third of its students absent because of illness Tuesday, USD 420 Osage City has announced its schools will be closed for the rest of the fall semester effective Wednesday.
Superintendent Ted Hessong says staff absences are on the increase in addition to the high number of student absences. Numbers have not been divulged.
For students, semester grades are official as of the close of school Tuesday.
Other items note as related to Tuesday’s announcement:
*Tuesday’s high school games were played as scheduled, but student activities during the closure will be canceled except for involvement in the High School Regional Debate this upcoming weekend. Practices will resume Dec. 19.
*Transportation for students attending Washburn and Flint Hills Technical College will be provided
*The USD 420 Board of Education will have its regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday.
At this time, USD 420 is the only area school district to announce the end of classes now before the scheduled end of the semester. However, districts across the country are noting increases in flu, COVID-19, RSV and other infections over the past month.
