ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Friday, December 20, 1996              TAG: 9612200039
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: B-4  EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER 

FLU AND COLDS EMPTYING SCHOOL SEATS

Hundreds of desks have been empty in Roanoke Valley schools this week because of an outbreak of colds and other respiratory ailments.

Absenteeism has been double the usual rate at many Roanoke County schools, said LaVern Davis, school health coordinator for the county. At one elementary school in Vinton, the number of students absent Thursday was four times higher than usual, she said.

Davis said high absenteeism has been reported at schools throughout the county, but Northside Middle and Northside High have been hit particularly hard.

Between 97 and 135 students have missed classes daily this week at Northside Middle, which has an enrollment of 840, said Patsy James, attendance clerk.

At Northside High, absenteeism has been running at least 20 percent above normal this week, school officials said.

At Cave Spring High, many students also have been stricken with flulike symptoms and have missed classes, Principal Martha Cobble said.

"We hope the winter break [that begins at the end of classes today] will give the students a rest and help them get well," Cobble said.

In the county, some teachers also have been stricken, but "most of them have been hanging in there and coming to work" because it's hard to get substitutes with so many people sick, Davis said.

"I'm hoping the students and teachers will get well over the winter break," Davis said.

Several schools in Roanoke also have reported high absences this week, said Lissy Runyon, public information officer for city schools.

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