Iowa City Regina Cancels Classes Due to High Absenteeism

School cites rapid increase in student illness, will deep clean facilities during closure

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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Iowa City Regina has canceled classes for today and tomorrow due to an exceptionally high and rapidly increasing rate of student illness, with 23% of all students absent. After consulting with Johnson County Public Health, the school decided to cancel classes to slow transmission, protect student and staff health, and allow for a deep cleaning of facilities. All practices, rehearsals, and weekend basketball games are also canceled during this time.

Why it matters

School closures due to illness outbreaks can significantly disrupt student learning and activities. This decision by Iowa City Regina highlights the challenges schools face in balancing public health concerns with educational continuity, especially as respiratory illnesses spread rapidly through close-contact environments like classrooms.

The details

According to the school's website, there are currently 248 students absent out of a total PreK-12 enrollment, accounting for 23% of all students. After consulting with local public health authorities, the school decided to cancel classes for two days to allow for deep cleaning of facilities and to slow the transmission of the illness affecting nearly a quarter of the student body.

  • Classes are canceled on February 5 and 6, 2026.
  • All practices, rehearsals, and weekend basketball games are also canceled during this time period.

The players

Iowa City Regina

A private Catholic school serving PreK-12 students in Iowa City, Iowa.

Johnson County Public Health

The public health department serving Johnson County, Iowa, which provided guidance to Iowa City Regina on the school closure.

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What’s next

The school states that students should only return after being fever-free and symptom-free for at least 24 hours without medication, per guidance from Johnson County Public Health.

The takeaway

This closure highlights the difficult decisions schools must make to balance public health concerns with educational continuity during illness outbreaks, underscoring the importance of robust public health partnerships and clear communication with families.