PERU — Nearly half of Peru Middle and High School students were out sick Tuesday.

It's unknown how many of the absences are connected with H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, as illness continues to have a major impact on area schools.

Rumors are spreading as quickly as the flu, an indicator of the level of fear in the community over H1N1.

"My heart goes out to families," Peru Central School Superintendent A. Paul Scott said. "We are all concerned about our community's children."

IN EVERY SCHOOL
School districts throughout Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties have been hit with higher-than-normal absentee rates over the past couple of weeks.

Many of the absences are due to the flu, and health officials say H1N1 is likely in every school.

Beekmantown and Plattsburgh schools were both reporting high absenteeism last week.

Beekmantown's numbers have dropped, with only about 15 percent of the student population absent this week. On Tuesday, 88 High School students were absent, while 85 were out at the Middle School, 67 at Beekmantown Elementary School and 45 at Cumberland Head Elementary School.

Numbers for Plattsburgh weren't available Tuesday.



STUDENTS SENT HOME
"During the last week, we saw some continuous upkick in the number of students per day who were absent from school," said Scott, "and more and more of those instances seem to be associated with either flu-like illness or other symptoms.

"This week, we have experienced a substantial increase in the number of students absent from the Middle and High School, and among those numbers we had approximately 80 students that were needing to be picked up by their parent or guardian because of their health condition."

On Monday, 250 to 260 High School students, or 42 percent, were absent out of a total population of 660. Of those, 30 to 40 were sent home by school staff.

About 160 students, or 44 percent, were out at the Middle School out of 475, with 35 to 40 sent home.

Attendance in the elementary grades is much closer to what is considered normal, Scott said.

On Tuesday, student absences increased to 45 percent at the High School and 49 percent at the Middle School.

WAVES ANTICIPATED

The school set up additional space next to the nurse's office at the Middle School and the nurse's office at the High School "so that there was adequate room and supervision," Scott said.

"During recent weeks, it had been forecast that school districts would experience what are sometimes called peaks or waves of greater numbers of students who have flu-like illness, and we anticipated this could happen at this school year here at various points."

The illnesses have even affected sporting events, with the Peru vs. Beekmantown Class B Football Final being moved from Saturday to 7 p.m. Monday because so many kids are out sick.

RUMORS
The absences have hit many schools and have prompted fears among the community that children might contract H1N1.

Those concerns have also fueled rumors, such as at Saranac Central School, where a 16-year-old girl died over the weekend while at home and sick.

Rumors pegged H1N1 as the culprit, but school and health officials told the Press-Republican on Sunday and again on Monday that it was not related to swine flu.

Clinton County Coroner David Donah said Tuesday that she died of "severe pre-existing underlying medical conditions," but they were all unrelated to H1N1.

He said pediatricians' offices are being inundated with inquiries because of rumors connected with the death.

Donah said he and the Health Department look into any "unexpected death" that could conceivably have a connection with H1N1.

Only one H1N1 death has been confirmed in the North Country — that of a 28-year-old Plattsburgh woman with underlying health conditions.

NO CLOSURE PLANNED
Scott applauded teachers and administrators at Peru for "diligently striving" to provide a day of school despite widespread absences.

Scott further said that unless absences impact staff to the point the district could not transport students to and from school or adequately supervise and educate them, classes will go on as planned.

"There are no plans to close school at this time."

Peru School District, like others around the area, continues to monitor absences, sanitize common spaces and refill gel-dispenser stations.

"Principals and teachers adjusted very well, and I credit the students," Scott said. "Those that are healthy seem to be doing their level best to help in this situation and conduct themselves accordingly.

"We appear to be following what is becoming a bit of a pattern in terms of this particular wave of absenteeism."

E-mail Stephen Bartlett at: sbartlett@pressrepublican.com