Dozens absent, even after school's wing was closed

Eight more students left Seattle's South Shore School on Wednesday because they were experiencing symptoms that led to the closure of one wing of the school on Tuesday, according to district officials.

In all, sixty-three of the school's roughly 500 students stayed home, said district spokesman Patti Spencer. Of those, at least 37 didn't attend class because of illness or because their parents were uncomfortable, Spencer said.

The school district is doing a number of tests, but still hasn't determined why some students and staff members are experiencing problems such as itchy eyes, nausea, rashes and/or difficulty breathing.

The district thinks the problem is limited to a wing on the second floor, which was closed Tuesday.

The problem first arose in January, and the district initially thought it was due to a solvent used by a staff member in one classroom. But the problem hasn't gone away entirely, and this week it erupted again. Results from some of the tests may be available as soon as Thursday.