CHATOM, Ala. — Washington County Public Schools shut their doors Friday after a wave of flu and strep throat cases left classrooms across the rural county short on students and staff. District officials announced the closure that afternoon, citing an unusually large number of absences reported across the school system.
The district serves students in communities across Washington County, one of Alabama’s most sparsely populated counties, where the school system is headquartered in Chatom. In small, close-knit districts like Washington County’s, a contagious illness can spread quickly through grade levels and knock out both classroom attendance and bus routes at once.
Classes Resume After Mardi Gras Break
School leaders said they expect to reopen on schedule the following Wednesday, when the district’s Mardi Gras break ends. The extended weekend gives custodial crews extra time to disinfect buildings and gives sick students and staff several additional days to recover before campuses fill up again.
Parents were notified of the closure through the district’s Facebook page. Health officials generally recommend that families treat feverish children at home until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours, a practice that helps slow the spread of influenza and streptococcal infections through schools.
Flu Season’s Toll on Rural Districts
The mid-February closure landed at the peak of Alabama’s flu season, which typically stretches from late fall into early spring and hits school-age children hard. Statewide, schools routinely report attendance dips during peak flu weeks, and rural districts with limited substitute teacher pools often feel the strain more than larger city systems.