'Monday-Friday Flu'? Not In Elmhurst D205

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst's public school teachers don't appear to suffer what's sometimes jokingly referred to as "Monday-Friday flu."

Patch has analyzed Elmhurst School District 205's statistics for substitute teachers.

So far this year, the district has called 34 substitutes on the average day. That works out to 5.5 percent of teachers.

Other places, including Hinsdale High School District 86, find the greatest demand for subs on Mondays and Fridays.

District 205, though, needs the most subs on Tuesdays and Thursdays – 36 and 38, respectively.

At 31, Mondays are the lowest, followed by 32 on Wednesdays and 34 on Fridays.

This school year's week with the lowest demand for subs was the first one. Three subs were needed on the first day and two on the second day. By Friday, 18 were required.

The district's teachers union contract may have something to do with the fact that Mondays and Fridays do not see spikes in subs.

According to the agreement, the district and the Elmhurst Teachers Council will work to limit teachers' absences from classrooms on Fridays.

To do that, teachers, when possible, should strive to limit personal days taken on Mondays and Fridays, the contract says. And the district seeks to limit removing teachers from classrooms on Mondays and Fridays.

The agreement also stipulates that personal days should not be taken during the first two weeks or the last two weeks of the school year. That may help explain this year's low absence rate in the first days.

A district spokeswoman did not return a message for comment.

On average, Hinsdale High School District 86 sees more subs on Mondays and Fridays.

According to its data, the district employs an average of 11 substitutes on Fridays, with Monday coming in second at nine.

An average of six substitutes are needed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and five on Thursdays.

The district's enrollment is about half Elmhurst's.