Coronavirus Brookfield: Schools Closed

BROOKFIELD, CT — Brookfield Public Schools announced that schools will close between March 13 and 27 due to concern over the coronavirus.

"Out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Brookfield Public Schools will be closed beginning Friday, March 13, 2020 through Friday, March 27, 2020. We will provide updates next week. We wish you good health," the school system said in a statement.

Original story: The public schools have scheduled two early dismissal days to facilitate additional cleaning time for their custodial crews, and for teachers and administrators to lay the groundwork for distance learning protocols.

Superintendent John Barile said in a letter distributed on Wednesday that, although "there are no plans to close the Brookfield Schools," they would dismiss students early on March 13 and March 18. Additional deep cleaning is scheduled for the 13th, and staff will be "developing a menu of self-directed, grade and subject appropriate learning resources for students to access should we have to close school for an extended period of time" on the 18th.

Related: Here's How Brookfield Schools Are Prepping For Coronavirus

All public school events are suspended through April 30, the letter specified, and the district is limiting nonacademic school-sponsored events and gatherings. The rationale for limiting event participation while leaving schools open is that, according to Barile, "there is an abundance of evidence that indicates that children are not affected by the virus in the same way as the at-risk adult population." Administrators are able to monitor the overall health of students and ensure prevention protocols are properly followed, in a way they cannot monitor and gauge the health of other community members attending school events.

For this reason:

• All events from outside agencies who have activities scheduled in Brookfield schools, such as Parks & Recreation, will be cancelled. (In school, after hours childcare provided by our RESC will be maintained.)
• Volunteer activities and parent lunch visits will be suspended. Building administrators will communicate with their school's students, parents and staff regarding specific school events, athletics, etc.
• Field trips and staff professional travel (conferences, meeting attendance, professional learning) have been suspended until further notice. Faculty and administration in charge of field trips will provide specific information to affected students, staff and parents.
• Student travel within the community is being suspended. This includes students traveling to and participating in work study or other community related school experiences outside the buildings.
• Upcoming parent-teacher conferences will be conducted by phone as scheduled. Teachers will initiate the phone call to parents at the previously scheduled time.
• Students are encouraged to bring in personal water bottles.
• No school trips are being scheduled for outside or the country. Anyone has returned from a trip out of country or cruise is asked to contact the Brookfield Health Department immediately with said information so that they can follow up with you and your family.

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