Flu closes Dana Hall School in Wellesley

By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff
and
Ben Terris, Town Correspondent

The Dana Hall School in Wellesley has been shuttered for the next week after nearly 100 students and staff called in sick with fevers, sore throats, and other flu-like systems.

There have been no confirmed cases of swine flu at the all-girls private school, according to Liza Cohen, director of communications. Officials at Dana Hall made the decision to remain closed from today until next Tuesday after consulting with the health officials from both the town and the state.

"After communicating with state department of health, the Wellesley department of health and our school doctor we had an internal discussion and decided to close school for health and the wellbeing for the students,” said Cohen. “We do have a boarding population to consider, and with so many absences with student and faculty it’s hard to carry out the daily function of the school."

With approximately 90 out of the 500 students absent from school on Monday, as well as 8 faculty and staff members, Dana Hall had its first non-weather related closing in recent memory according to Cohen. Cohen said that on an average spring day there are fewer than 20 students out sick.

UPDATE: The Health Department issued this statement Tuesday.

"As of today, Tuesday May 19th, the number of cases has dropped. It is important to note, that the illness appears to be mild, and all are recuperating. The school will reopen with a normal schedule on Tuesday, May 26th,'' the health department said.

Shepard Cohen, the Chair of the Wellesley Department of Health, said in an interview with the Globe that the decision to close the school was “a cautious and wise decision.”