Sisters High School responds to ringworm issue

Sisters High School sent a letter to parents Tuesday in response to concerns of a possible ringworm outbreak.

Principal Joe Hosang acknowledged there was what he called a “ringworm situation” that started before winter break, but he said the school believes it was contained to the wrestling team and a few of their close friends, so it did not send out a public notice. He said the school was always in close contact with the team and their families about the situation.

Text messages received by NewsChannel 21 confirmed that the wrestling coach, John Downs, was in contact with parents as early as Dec. 12, and an email correspondence with Downs states that, even though the texts were the first physical proof, it’s been a discussion all season.

“My wrestling team parents and wrestlers and I have discussed it all year, starting November 22nd. It has never not been in conversation,” he wrote.

Hosang said that at the peak of the problem, 11 people had ringworm. Now, two people, both wrestlers, still have it.

Sisters High is now following a very strict and intensive cleaning process of the wrestling room, the weight room and the locker room. Wrestlers at the school share facilities with the physical fitness class. These areas are now cleaned after each class, instead of at the beginning and end of the day.

School administrators said they don’t believe this is a district-wide issue.

“We are not aware of anything outside of (this school),” Hosang said. “We feel like it is very isolated. What we heard and why we were reaching out is because, while we were communicating very well with the wrestling team, we weren’t doing it with our community.”

Both Hosang and Gary Thorson, the Sisters High School athletic director, said that in some years, high schools see a spike in ringworm among athletes, and this seems to be one of those years.

Randy Muntz, a physician assistant at Family Choice Urgent Care, said the facility has treated several patients with ringworm recently, all of them wrestlers. He said it is not uncommon.

“We see it on a lot of athletes, mainly because they’re getting sweaty. It’s perfect conditions for it to grow. Wrestlers in particular (are) where we see the most of it,” Muntz said.

Despite the name, ringworm is actually a fungal infection. It can be prevented by completely drying off after showering, and avoiding walking barefoot in public places, such as locker rooms. The condition can be treated with antifungal medication that is available without a prescription.