An uptick of illness is impacting the Pella Community Schools as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and the seasonal flu spread throughout the community.
As of Tuesday, 13 students were out due to a positive COVID-19 test, and the average over the past week is near that number as well. Staff absences have hovered above four percent since Friday as well for all illness, including 14 percent of Lincoln Elementary on Monday.
In total, the student absence rate has been above four percent in the Pella Community School District for any reason.