Bloomfield schools cancel class because of 'flu outbreak'

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — Bloomfield schools were closed Friday as the result of a "flu outbreak," according to superintendent Dr. Nick Thiele.

Thiele said the decision was made because of the significant number of students and staff sick with the flu.

Attendance was at about 85 percent Thursday, which is significantly lower than average.

"Equally disturbing, though, was the number of staff who are out sick," he said. "We even had substitutes calling in sick."

School is expected to reopen Monday morning for business as usual.

"We hope that if everybody can go home for a few days and rest, this will clear up," Thiele said as students left school Thursday afternoon.

Thiele did note that the day will have to be made up by holding classes Tuesday. Beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, school maintenance personnel started treating the entire campus with bleach water in an effort to remove any germs.

Families are encouraged to spray objects at home and especially objects taken from school to home, such as backpacks, pencil boxes and books with a solution of one ounce of chlorine bleach and 16 ounces of water.