ECTOR, TX - Early Thursday morning parents were called to pick up their kids at Ector Elementary School after a teacher's aide was sent to the hospital and tested for a possible case of meningitis.

"We feel like the parents should know what we know and have the opportunity to take care of their kids in their manner,"said Ector ISD Superintendent Gary Bohannon.

District officials say the aide got sick on Wednesday and was taken to a nearby hospital.

"The doctor was very concerned that she might have meningitis. There's different types of meningitis, and the concern is that it could be bacterial meningitis, which is very contagious," said Bohannon.

That's why the district wanted to warn parents early of the possible threat of an infection, especially since students will be out all next week for Spring Break.

"We went off the basis that we wanted everyone to feel safe in the way their children were being taken care of here at Ector," said school nurse Kim Bockman.

Doctors say symptoms of meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck and skin rashes, but they say the illness is usually only spread to those in close contact with the infected individual.

District officials say they will get the aide's test results back within the next 3 to 5 days, but until then they are taking every necessary step to ensure the safety of their students.

"We don't have any kids that are sick we don't have signs that any kids are sick it’s totally precautionary,"said Bohannon.

Bohannon also said that a letter was sent home with all Ector ISD students grades 4-12 on Thursday that parents could opt to keep their kids at home tomorrow, and that the school planned to sterilize the elementary building after school on Thursday.