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Pennsylvania school district returns to in-person education after flu outbreak

Rebecca Barnabi
child with fever
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A Pennsylvania school district resumed classes in-person this week after a flu outbreak last week forced officials to send students home to learn remotely.

The Charleroi Area School District near Pittsburgh reported 81 elementary school students were sent to the nurse’s office on December 13, and more than 30 were sent home, according to CBSNews.

“The turning point was when the elementary school nurse called me yesterday and said she needed to see me immediately. That was approximately 10 a.m.,” Charleroi Superintendent Ed Zelich said on Thursday. “When you get 80 students visiting the office and over 30 are going home prior to noon, we have an issue.”

While students learned remotely last week, all schools in the district were sanitized and deep cleaned. All weekend school activities were cancelled.

Families were encouraged to keep children at home if they exhibited symptoms of illness.

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.