No alarming absentee rates yet, outside public school division

By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on November 23, 2022.

reporter@medicinehatnews.com

The Medicine Hat Public School Division has seen a significant increase in absences this week, with five schools reporting 10% or higher rates. Alberta Health Services provided letters for each of the schools, while enhanced cleaning measures and other safety precautions have been implemented.

Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education issued the following statement when asked about absentee rates this week:

“The statement we shared last Wednesday is still applicable to what we’ve been experiencing this week. We have seen a slight increase in student absence due to illness as it is cold and flu season, but nothing significant.”

Principal of CAPE charter school, Teresa DiNinno, stated the school is seeing absence numbers in line with a normal flu season. As the rates are hovering around 5%, there is nothing to be immediately concerned about.

Small class sizes at the Accelerated Potential Christian Academy, which has in total about 40 students, has resulted in the absences rates being higher. Principal Mary Printz says they are seeing 15-20% in their kindergarten classes but less than 10% in the older grades.

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