Norwalk Coronavirus: Schools To Close; City Hall Cuts Services

NORWALK, CT — Norwalk Public Schools will have an early dismissal on Friday and then close for two weeks, officials announced, in an effort to mitigate the growing novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Additionally, City Hall will close at 1 p.m. on Friday and will operate with limited staff and services beginning on March 16, announced Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling on Thursday. The moves are designed "to protect the health and safety of the public and City staff, while maintaining core government functions."

"The decision to close schools is never an easy one," said Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven Adamowski in a statement. "But these are unprecedented times for our community and the country overall. The health of our students and staff, and in this case, our community, is the number one priority. Closing schools is a proactive measure that we need to take to protect students, staff and families."

A majority of government board and commission meetings over the next two weeks also will be canceled, or conducted by teleconference. An updated schedule of changes, including department hours and services, will be released on Friday.

"There is a growing concern of coronavirus affecting our residents and community spread is likely," Rilling said. "Our Health Experts determined the best course of action is social distancing. We cannot stop government completely, but I made the tough decision to significantly scale back the services we provide and the number of staff who report to City Hall. This was not a decision I came to lightly, and I understand it will cause inconvenience, but my top priority is public safety. I appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as we navigate these unprecedented times together."

Meetings that remain scheduled may not occur in person, but rather, may be conducted via teleconference. Members of the public will be able to dial-in to participate. The City’s website, norwalkct.org, will post updated agendas and information in the coming days. The City of Norwalk strongly encourages members of the public to submit comments electronically for all upcoming meetings and public hearings.

"Given the ever-changing nature of this pandemic, I remain in constant contact with my top staff, the Norwalk Health Department, and local and state officials," Rilling added. "The schedule of City Hall is subject to change, and I will be updating the public routinely over the days and weeks ahead with new developments. I ask the public to avoid heavily populated areas and large gatherings. I strongly encourage local businesses to consider taking necessary actions with their employees and customers. We all must take appropriate measures and precautions to help stop community spread."

Members of the public are encouraged to sign-up for the City’s CodeRED Emergency Alert Notification System at norwalkct.org/codered. Mayor Rilling will provide updates on the City’s website, social media, and CodeRED. Those who feel symptomatic should call their doctor for guidance and avoid showing up to an emergency room or doctor’s office. Residents can call 2-1-1 for additional guidance. The most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 will also be shared online at norwalkct.org/coronavirus.

Below is Dr. Adamowski's announcement:

As you may know, additional cases of COVID-19 coronavirus continue to be identified in Connecticut and throughout the tri-state area. While at this time there is no confirmed COVID-19 exposure at our schools, the Norwalk Health Department has shared with us that it is reasonable to expect community transmission in our area.

With this in mind, Norwalk Public Schools will have a 2-hour early dismissal on Friday, March 13 for all students and staff. Beginning Monday, March 16, all Norwalk Public Schools will then be closed for a two-week period. During this time, we will continue to monitor developments before confirming that schools will be back in session. Earlier this afternoon, Governor Lamont announced that Connecticut will waive the requirement that schools must be in session for 180 days a year, giving us flexibility if we need it.

The decision to close schools is never an easy one. But these are unprecedented times for our community and the country overall. The health of our students and staff, and in this case, our community, is the number one priority. Closing schools is a proactive measure that we need to take to protect students, staff and families.

NPS staff has spent all day today preparing for our Distance Learning Plan. Tomorrow, elementary students will receive packets to take home that will cover 10 days of instruction. Secondary students (6-12) will pick up Chromebooks and chargers so that they will be able to access instruction via Google Classroom. Special Education staff has also been preparing specific online and at home learning plans for students with disabilities as well as plans for providing services. We are also finalizing access to meals for students with more information available tomorrow. Students will be directed to bring home any necessary school materials, including books and musical instruments.

As we begin to implement at-home learning, parents and students will receive further instructions via email tomorrow.

As we are seeing worldwide, COVID-19 coronavirus is changing the way that we interact socially. While school will be closed for an extended time, we urge you and your students to be aware of all health recommendations for “social distancing.” After classwork is done, many students will want to gather with friends and find activities. At this time, the Centers for Disease Control suggests “social distancing” as the most effective way to limit the risk of exposure or spreading the virus. According to the CDC, social distancing includes “remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance” when possible. The City of Norwalk website has additional information direction for the community on measures that are being taken to limit the spread of coronavirus.

By working together, we can do our best to keep our community safe and healthy during these unusual circumstances. Please be sure to watch your email, the district website and social media pages (Facebook and Twitter), as well as the City of Norwalk website for official updates.

Thank you for your patience and support during these challenging times. We will have more information for you tomorrow and the coming days.

Sincerely,
Dr. Steven Adamowski, Superintendent