CHICAGO - St. Barnabas School in Beverly will be closed Tuesday after more than 25% of its students were sent home sick Monday.
At least 137 students were sent home with influenza A/B, strep and stomach flu, school officials said in an email Monday to parents. Several employees were also out with the same illnesses.
An “E-learning” day is scheduled for Tuesday in lieu of in-person class instruction, the email said. Students in kindergarten through 8th grade will have to complete assignments through their teacher’s Google site.
Students will not have to make up the lost day because E-learning days count as official school days, the email said.
The school, 10121 S. Longwood Dr., recommends anyone with the flu not return to class or work for at least four to five days, the email said.
“Our concern is that infected persons have been coming back to school before this timeline which we believe has been causing the viruses to spread at an increased rate,” the email said.
Officials said both school buildings were deep-cleaned last month, and will undergo another round of sanitizing Tuesday.
St. Barnabas posted a guide on Facebook when someone sick should stay home.