Due to an increased amount of illness throughout both of the county's school districts, Bradley County Schools and Cleveland City Schools will be closed Friday to conduct a thorough cleaning of facilities, according to a joint statement issued Thursday by the school systems.
"The health and safety of our students and staff is always our top priority," officials said in the statement.
Cleveland City Schools spokeswoman Caroline Corrigan said Thursday by phone there was no specific illness forcing the closure but a variety.
"Everything is going around," Corrigan said Thursday by phone. "It's not a big outbreak of a certain thing, there's just a ton of different illnesses going around. It's just that time of year."
Athletic and evening events at schools will still take place, but students and spectators are asked to stay home if they are ill, officials said.
– Compiled by Ben Benton