Some area school districts are seeing a drop in attendance with the arrival of flu season. But even though school officials are having to deal with an additional flu strain - the H1N1 virus - most districts are experiencing normal absenteeism numbers for this time of the year.

Toronto City Schools Superintendent Fred Burns said Thursday there does not appear to be any indication of absentee problems in the district stemming from illness.

He said the schools are "pretty much normal" as far as attendance.

Burns said notices were sent home with students at all three of the schools this week citing the H1N1 flu shot would be given to anyone wishing to receive one. And he noted there are currently no confirmed cases of H1N1 in the school district.

That's not the situation in the Edison Local School District, according to Superintendent David Quattrochi, who said there has been one confirmed case of H1N1.

He noted there were a little more than 100 students absent this week, but added that number is normal for Edison. The district has 2,200 children attending its five schools.

Quattrochi added custodians are stepping up by sanitizing and cleaning more frequently to help stave off germs.

Health officials have confirmed the H1N1 virus, or swine flu, has been taking a heavy toll on children and young adults. High-risk groups for the H1N1 flu include children less than 6 months of age and children from 6 months to young adults at age 24. Others at high risk are pregnant women and those ages 25-64 with a chronic illness.

Michael McVey, Steubenville superintendent, said there are no confirmed cases of swine flu in the city school district, but there have been students out sick with the basic flu.

He noted the school district's daily attendance is about 5 percent below average due to the number of sick students.

And there's not been a decrease in students in classrooms in the Buckeye Local School District either, as Superintendent Mark Miller noted the Jefferson County Health Department surveyed the district's buildings this week and found no need for changes in operation.

Miller added there are no reported cases of H1N1 in his school district.

"We have been very fortunate," Miller stated, adding administrators and teachers have tried to be proactive and show students good hygiene habits, including washing hands, covering their mouths while coughing and encouraging them to remain home if they're sick.

One area district that has seen more students absent from classrooms is the Jefferson County Joint Vocational School.

Superintendent Dale Edwards said more students than usual have been experiencing flu-like symptoms. Seventy juniors and seniors were absent earlier this week, but many have returned, Edwards noted. He said once students come back to school, others leave with flu-like symptoms, but there have been no confirmed cases of swine flu at the school.

Extra precautions are being taken at the JVS with custodians cleaning all areas daily and teachers having access to cleaning supplies to wipe off desks, Edwards added.

Indian Creek Local School District also has seen absences increase in past weeks.

Superintendent Jene Watkins explained his district has one possible case of the H1N1 flu that hasn't been confirmed.

He noted absentee rates have ranged from 12.9 percent at Hills Elementary School to 14 percent at Wayne Elementary School and 16.5 percent at Indian Creek High School. The absentee rate at Wayne Elementary School, which houses 220 pupils, reached 30 percent, according to Watkins.

"With a building that small, it doesn't take a lot (of absences)," he said.

Watkins said the schools are being disinfected and officials are encouraging parents to keep kids at home if they have a fever.

"We are disinfecting in the evenings," said Watkins. "We have a balm we purchased several years ago that disinfects the air in the buildings."

He added that the Friends of Indian Creek group has sponsored a hand-washing program for the past 10 years, with the assistance of Trinity Health System and Eastern Gateway Community College.

"We make sure they (the students) know how to help prevent catching something when they don't have to," Watkins said.

(Ghrist can be contacted at jstenger@heraldstaronline.com.)