Bridgewater-Emery resumes classes after illness, snow

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BRIDGEWATER — Classes have resumed at Bridgewater-Emery schools after a severe illness outbreak.

Superintendent Jason Bailey said Tuesday the school took a snow day Monday and it seems most students have rested up from the flu-like symptoms suffered last week. The symptoms started to spread a week and a half ago.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Bailey said, who’s been in education for 19 years.

Students started exhibiting symptoms last week, including vomiting and diarrhea. Some thought it might be food poisoning at the high school in Emery, but then symptoms started cropping up at the elementary/middle school in Bridgewater.

“I think they’re doing better now,” Bailey said Tuesday morning.

Only four students were absent in the whole district Tuesday compared to approximately 70 last Thursday, Bailey said. The district has about 315 students.

Bailey said no one has a confirmed reason for the illness outbreak, but the school has taken precautions to prevent the illness spreading. Friday and into the weekend, staff took to the school buildings with disinfectant. The district also canceled its girls’ basketball game Friday due to the illness. He said the district was not dropping its guard now.

“We’re going to continue to use Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer, that kind of thing,” Bailey said.

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