School officials said Monday that they think absenteeism caused by flulike symptoms and other illnesses has peaked.

"I do think this warm weather has cleared it up," said Kay Sanders, the principal of North Columbia Elementary School.

She said the school had experienced a higher rate of absenteeism in February than in other months of this school year. She said, however, pupils were absent "classroom-by-classroom" rather than on a school-wide basis.

Janet Gibson, the North Columbia nurse, said she had treated fewer pupils with flu-like symptoms this year.

"Four or five years ago, the entire county was hit with the flu really hard," she said.

In Columbia County, Stevens Creek Elementary has had the most absences at one time because of illness.

Sandra Carraway, the deputy superintendent, said last month that 90 to 100 Stevens Creek pupils were absent each day Feb. 13-15.

"About 50 percent of those absences reported were related to strep throat, and about 50 percent were related to flu," she said.

She said the school normally averages about 30 absences a day.

Dr. Carraway said that attendance had returned to normal since classes resumed after the midwinter break Feb. 18-20.

Richmond County school officials did not immediately return phone calls.

However, according to reports published in The Augusta Chronicle , deputy superintendent James Thompson said last month that no Richmond County schools had reported high absenteeism because of the flu.

An Aiken County school system administrator gave a similar report.

"We haven't had any more reports than normal this year," said David Mathis, the associate superintendent for administration.