JA closed due to illnesses
By Evan Carden SA Editor
Academy school officials took the advice of local physicians and closed the school for several days to give students and teachers a chance to recuperate.

Public Works Director Kevin Woodson (left) welcomes the city's new Parks and Recreation Director DeWayne Byrd. (SA photo by Evan Carden)

The number of people with flu-like symptoms has been growing in Clarke County and the surrounding area. At Jackson Academy last Thursday, 32 students and four teachers were absent at the beginning of the school day. By that afternoon 69 students were not in class.

"We made the decision to close the school for several days and through the weekend as a precautionary measure," said Headmaster Rance Carr. "One of the local doctors reported seeing a large number of our students after school hours."

Carr said he consulted with the chairman of the school's board of directors, Dr. Stanley Beard, who agreed to the measure. "We consulted with several of the local medical doctors and since the number of absences had doubled, we took their advice to close for a few days," said Beard. "Those who were sick were suffering from flu-like symptoms, strep or gastral intestinal-type illnesses."

Dr. Keith Scott at Family Medical of Jackson stated that with the increased number of students experiencing flu-like symptoms, he felt the move to close the school for more than four days was a wise one. "This illness has a three-day window in which it takes hold following exposure," he said. "When you have a school with the small number of students Jackson Academy has, in a closed environment, the risk of exposure is increased. This was done to prevent more students from contracting the illness and spreading it to their families at home."

Students at Jackson Academy returned to school Wednesday, Feb. 27. Dr. Scott said he has treated a large number of students from Joe M. Gillmore Elementary School as well, but there are no current plans to close that facility.

Overall, Scott said there have been a large number of flu cases treated at Family Medical. "I've seen people of all ages with several different types of symptoms," he added.

With one strain, the person is severely ill for approximately 24 hours then feels a little better for a few days afterwards. The second strain comes with a fever of 104 and includes coughing. In other cases a person runs a low-grade fever and feels bad.

"The first one is the one that runs the risk of taking someone's life," said Dr. Scott. "I applaud Dr. Beard and Mr. Carr for making the decision to close the school in an attempt to get a handle on this illness."

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