Colbert County (AL) Schools students were dismissed early recently to allow school employees to deep clean the facilities after an influx of illnesses, according to an article on the Times Daily website.

Colbert County Schools Superintendent Gale Satchel said the eight-school district has been hit hard by winter illnesses.

After students were dismissed, school employees — teachers, custodial workers, cafeteria employees and bus drivers — stayed at school to clean all the buildings and buses.

"It is the season of germs so we are going to clean and hopefully knock this out," Satchel said in the article.

The district has normal cleaning protocols at each of the campuses, but this will provide a larger crew of cleaners the chance to deep clean all surfaces without traffic or interruption.

To read the full article, click here.