ORCHARD PARK, NY - Orchard Park Middle School is closed today due to illness.
A message on the school's website says a "significant number" of students and staff were ill Thursday with flu-like symptoms.
In addition to closing the school on Friday, to allow the janitorial staff to disinfect the building before students return on Monday, all activities and modified athletics have been canceled through Sunday.
The statement from the school says the decision to close the school and cancel weekend events was made in consultation with the school physician.
District officials say over the last two days the number of middle schoolers absent peaked at 25 percent, when the average is usually around 5 percent.
The school will be disinfected, and all commonly touched surfaces like desktops, railings, and door handles will be sanitized.
"This is an opportunity to get kids healthy, get them out of the building, and get them home," Superintendent Matthew McGarrity said, "and have our cleaning crews get in there and clean, not just the building but buses and things like that."
All other Orchard Park School buildings and activities remain open. Superintendent McGarrity says that's because there's been no difference in attendance numbers at the high school and elementary schools.
Nevertheless, all district buildings will be disinfected as a precaution and school buses will also be thoroughly cleaned.