H1N1 closings will cost schools calamity days

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By Dave Larsen, Staff Writer Updated 3:16 PM Thursday, October 29, 2009

DAYTON — Public schools that close because of swine flu outbreaks must use calamity days, according to the Ohio Department of Education.

“Disease and epidemic is a reason that a school can use a calamity day,” said Scott Blake, Department of Education spokesman, on Thursday, Oct. 29.

The four Dayton Christian Schools at the Dayton and Xenia campuses closed on Monday, Oct. 26, due to higher than usual student absences last week from flu-like symptoms, according to school officials.

The system has about 1,450 students on its two campuses. Students were off school Oct. 22-23 because of in-service days, according to school officials. Classes resumed on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Ohio’s K-12 schools have not seen any widespread outbreaks of the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, Blake said.

Any school that used more than its allotted calamity days would have to make up those days, regardless of its reason for closing, he said.

“We’ll continue to monitor the situation and respond as may be necessary,” Blake said.

There are 180 required days of instruction in the typical Ohio school calendar. School districts can use five calamity days before they must start adding extra days to the calendar.

Chartered non-public schools such as Dayton Christian agree to abide by the state’s minimum number of days of instruction, Blake said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2419 or dlarsen@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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