Two Madison Co. elementary schools closed Friday
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MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — Two Madison County elementary schools will be closed Friday due to illness, according to a school board spokesperson. Ginger Carver with the Jackson-Madison County School System said after seeing increasing numbers of students out sick they made the decision to close Denmark Elementary and the Montessori School at Bemis. “We decided to close those schools in order to get those schools cleaned and let the staff and the students stay home and get well before they return on Monday,” Carver said. Carver said when making the decision to close, the district looks at the percentage of kids calling out sick. Carver said about 17 percent of students at Denmark Elementary and the Montessori School at Bemis were not in class Thursday. “These are the only two schools above 10 percent,” Carver said. “As a district, we were still hovering around the 7 percent mark, which is about normal this time of year. Actually it’s a little bit low for us this time of year.” The district said it is seeing a variety of sicknesses from stomach illnesses to the flu. Many parents told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News they support the board’s decision. “Well, you know they have to do what they have to do to protect the kids and protect the teachers to kind of contain it to make things not any worse than it already is,” parent Jeff Azbill said. “Well, I think it’s a good idea if they all sick,” grandparent Louis Martin said. “I got three here [at Denmark Elementary] and one over at Bemis.” Carver said the schools get roughly 13 snow days to use each year, and this sick day will fall under that. No other schools in the district are experiencing such high numbers of absences. Carver said both schools will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected on Friday. Classes will resume Monday.
