Topic: Teachers College

October 20, 2009


MUNCIE, Ind. -- Burris Laboratory School has experienced a growing number of absences over the last few days. Many of these absences are due to students with influenza-like illness. As of today, Oct. 20, absences stood at 113, or just over 20 percent, of the total student population of 562.

In consultation with the Delaware County Health Department, Ball State University officials have canceled classes at Burris for Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 21 and 22. Fall break is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, when students were already scheduled to be off.

Keeping students out of class for the next three days will slow the spread of the illness and provide the staff time to conduct a thorough cleaning.

Burris tenured faculty, contract faculty and part-time staff need not report for work until Monday, Oct. 26. All other Burris employees should report as normal or take time off against vacation time.

Athletic events already scheduled to occur at Ball Gymnasium will continue as planned.

The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities remains open on its regular schedule. The academy has not had a similar trend of illness. Its classrooms and residence are largely separate from the Burris student population. Other than Burris, no classes or functions at Ball State University are affected.

Additional information about H1N1 (swine) flu can be found at www.bsu.edu/fluinfo.