South Heartland District Health Department

School Surveillance Reports

April 18, 2024

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School Surveillance Reports

South Heartland schools report weekly counts of student and staff absences linked to respiratory, gastrointestinal, and other illnesses; these numbers feed into the Nebraska Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) and CDC surveillance systems to spot outbreaks early and guide local action. Absences have tracked closely with state trends in influenza, RSV, and COVID‑19, peaking during late January 2024 and again in early October 2024; since mid‑March 2025, reports show <5% of total enrollment absent for illness on most days, indicating low overall activity however during winter and early summer, student absences rise close to or above 10% anticipated based on previous 5-10 years data. Stakeholders can use the dashboard to plan cleaning, vaccination, and communication efforts while families watch for upticks that might signal higher community spread.​ Sources: southheartlandhealth.ne.gov, Nebraska DHHS, Nebraska DHHS, CDC, CDC, CDC Stacks

What the Public Should Know - View or download from this link: School Absenteeism Summary 2023-2024

• Why we track absences – School absenteeism often rises 1–2 weeks before clinic or hospital visits, serving as an early warning for outbreaks of flu, RSV, norovirus, and COVID‑19. Sources: ​CDC, CDC Stacks

• Current status – Illness‑related absences across the four‑county district are below seasonal thresholds and trending downward as of the latest reporting week (ending April 11 2025).​ Sources: Nebraska DHHS, CDC

• Data sources – Figures come from 34 public and private schools that submit weekly counts through ESU‑9 to SHDHD and the DHHS Seasonal Respiratory Disease dashboard.​ Sources: southheartlandhealth.ne.gov, Nebraska DHHS

• Privacy – Reports use totals only; no individual student information is shared.

How to Stay Updated

1. View the SHDHD School Surveillance Dashboard – refreshed every Tuesday afternoon during the school year.​ Sources: southheartlandhealth.ne.gov

2. Check DHHS Weekly Respiratory Disease Report – state‑level context for flu, RSV, and COVID‑19.​ Sources: Nebraska DHHS, CDC

3. Subscribe to SHDHD email alerts – get a note when absenteeism spikes above baseline.

4. Follow CDC K‑12 infection‑prevention guidance – new consolidated recommendations published May 2024.​  Sources: CDC, CDC

How You Can Use This Information

Background

South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) takes part in a statewide program to watch and report school absences due to respiratory, stomach, and other illness. This information is submitted weekly to NE Department of Health and Human Services and allows state and local health officials to understand what diseases are affecting our community and to respond more quickly to disease outbreaks in the schools. 

SHDHD offers assistance to schools with higher absence rates, providing resources and support for deciding a course of action in dealing with illness in their schools. This could include recommending actions such as increased and stricter cleaning procedures. Sometimes schools opt to close for a short period to interrupt disease transmission. Monitoring school absence rates allows us to share information with the schools, to let them know what illnesses are present in the community, and how best to prepare to keep their students and staff the healthiest they can be for optimal learning. Both instances illustrate the mutually beneficial nature of the relationship between the schools and the health department.

School Absenteeism Summary 2023-2024

References

1. SHDHD School Surveillance portal southheartlandhealth.ne.gov;
2. DHHS Seasonal Respiratory Dashboard Nebraska DHHS;
3. Student Absence Surveillance graph, 2024‑25 Nebraska DHHS;
4. CDC Infection‑Prevention Guidance for K‑12 Schools CDC, CDC;
5. CDC Weekly FluView, Week 14 2025 CDC;
6. MMWR report on absenteeism as an early indicator CDC;
7. Evaluation of Syndromic‑Surveillance Practices CDC Stacks.