Schools
Stomach Virus Sweeps through Pines Elementary
Roughly 150 students absent on Friday as stomach bug sweeps elementary school, district officials cancel a school event.
A stomach virus sweeping through Pines Elementary School left Hauppauge parents concerned for their children's well being.
Parents emailed Patch concerned about an illness that resulted in large number of student absences and the cancellation of a school event on Jan. 29.
Hauppauge school officials confirmed that approximately 150 students were absent as a stomach virus swept through the elementary school on Friday. The illness affected nearly one-fourth of the school's roughly 600 students.
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A Family Movie Night scheduled by the Pines Elementary School PTA was cancelled by school officials.
"The district cancelled the event because with approximately 150 students absent, participation at the event was going to be low," said assistant superintendent James Stucchio.
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He said the district followed its normal cleaning routine over the weekend, and did not take any additional precautionary measures.
"As this was a virus, there isn’t much we can do other than let it take its course. Today, absences were back to a normal level," Stucchio said.
Pines Elementary School PTA is considering the possibility of rescheduling the family night for a later date.
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