Bedford charter school closed for rest of week because of flu

10/22/2009

LAMBERTVILLE - New Bedford Academy, a 136-pupil charter school on Secor Road, will be closed until Monday because of high absenteeism among students and teachers.

Jennifer Cherry, president of the academy school's board, said the decision to shut the school for the rest of the week was made Wednesday when 35 percent of the students were sick from flu-like illnesses.

Ms. Cherry said there have been no confirmed cases of H1N1.

Three of the nine teachers in the public academy also were absent Wednesday and four teacher aides were sick, school officials said. The school closed at noon that day and students were sent home.

The school was closed on Tuesday after nearly one third of the students were sick.