Coronavirus Greenwich: Public Schools Closed Through Next Week

GREENWICH, CT — School officials announced late Wednesday that all Greenwich public schools will close beginning Thursday, March 12, "out of an abundance of caution" as the state, and the nation, grapples with the new coronavirus. The announcement was made via the district website.

As of Wednesday evening, three Connecticut residents and two hospital employees have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, however none have been reported in Greenwich. (Don't miss updates in Connecticut concerning the Coronavirus as they are announced. To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"[The schools] will remain closed through next week as we continue to evaluate our circumstances," officials said in a statement. "In partnership with our local health officials, we believe this is the appropriate action."

In a message sent to families Wednesday evening, Superintendent Toni Jones emphasized that even though the town does not have a confirmed case of the virus, it is in the best interest of students, staff and families to act responsibly.

"Our local health officials also shared that although cases are not yet in our direct community, there is still cause for concern with the growing number of cases given our proximity to affected areas in New York and southwestern Connecticut," Jones said in a statement.

Jones said families should plan for a longer closure, however the district will continue to keep everyone updated. Additionally, all after school programs will be canceled and there will be no bus service both in and out of the district for the next two days.

Cleaning Supplies

According to Jones, district officials were informed Wednesday morning that the schools' cleaning suppliers "had to make the very difficult decision to limit the selling of sanitizers, disinfectants, personal protection wear, disinfecting wipes to only healthcare facilities," which includes hospitals, convalescent homes and walk-in clinics.

"While we have supplies that will last for several days, we do not want our supplies completely depleted," Jones said. "As you can imagine, school absolutely cannot be in session if we cannot deep clean our buildings every evening."

Staff Considerations

In addition to the above issues, Jones said many of the district's teachers have children in districts which are closing or have closed, as well as staff members who are pregnant, have compromised immune systems from cancer treatments or live with aging parents and newborn babies, among other concerns.

Distance/Digital Learning

Jones said district officials submitted a waiver request to the Connecticut Department of Education on Wednesday to approve distance learning for staff and students, however Thursday and Friday will not be digital learning days. Rather, they are similar to snow days and will need to be made up for if the state does not provide a waiver to the district's 180 days of mandatory instructional days, Jones said.

"We hope to have an update for staff and our community about our approach next week as we wait on state approval," Jones said. "If distance/digital learning is approved, we will be issuing a detailed and comprehensive guide for families to understand the process and how to gain access with ease. All of these materials have been created and reviewed by our GPS staff. We are ready to
provide these resources for our students, we just need approval."

Parents of K-1 students will have an opportunity to pick up iPads from the schools on Friday to ensure access to "the abundance of digital reading material and applications" available for the district's youngest learners.

"We will provide more information [Thursday] afternoon for families in regards to pick up times," Jones said. "Again, there will also be more details to follow about distance learning or make-up days."

COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.

On Sunday, a Wilton resident tested positive for the virus. The second Connecticut resident to test positive is a Bethlehem woman who is a heath care worker at Bridgeport Hospital, officials said.

On Wednesday, state officials announced that an elderly man from New Canaan tested positive for the virus. They also issued a stern warning that the number of cases is expected to significantly increase over the next week.

See also: Coronavirus Greenwich: Travel Restricted For Town Employees

• Coronavirus Greenwich: Schools Cancelling Large Events
• Coronavirus Greenwich: Private Schools To Hold Remote Learning
• Greenwich First Selectman Provides Update On Coronavirus

The two hospital employees are both New York residents and work at Danbury, Norwalk and Bridgeport hospitals.

"This decision was not made lightly," Jones said. "With the closures of various neighboring school districts, the concern we are hearing from members of our school community, and the growing numbers of cases, we think this is the right decision for our students and staff."

Further information and resources can be found in the health services section of the Greenwich Public Schools website.