Coronavirus Stamford: Schools Provide Update On Closures

STAMFORD, CT — School officials announced Thursday that all Stamford public schools will be closed to students beginning Friday, March 13. The announcement was made the same day city officials confirmed a Stamford resident has tested positive for the new Coronavirus, the first city resident out of the five Connecticut residents to test positive for the virus, also referred to as the COVID-19 virus, as of Thursday afternoon.

In an announcement on the district website, officials said all schools will be closed through "at least" Friday, March 27. (To sign up for Stamford breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"This is an unprecedented time for our community and, as always, the safety and security of our staff and students is always our top priority," Superintendent Tamu Lucero said in a statement. "The decision to close our schools to students was neither easy nor simple. We took into consideration the opinions of experts in the medical field, as well as our obligation to ensure Stamford students are educated, fed and receive the special education services they need."

District officials said they are working with staff at each school to provide students with materials required for distance learning. They will also be applying for a waiver from the state to count these days as school days.

Officials will communicate directly with parents of students who require Special Education Services regarding plans to meet their needs.

Additionally, the district's food service provider, Chartwells, will be providing free "grab and go" meals that can be picked up at all school buildings for anyone in Stamford under the age of 19, beginning Friday, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

On Tuesday, the district announced they had cancelled all Stamford public schools-sponsored events expected to draw a crowd of more than 100 people, and any events scheduled to be held by outside organizations in any Stamford public school buildings were also canceled.

See also: Coronavirus Stamford: Large School Events Cancelled, More Updates

In a message sent to families Tuesday, Lucero said the district was preparing in the event schools should need to be closed for an extended period of time.

"In the event that schools should close, we are preparing for distance learning opportunities for our students," Lucero said in a statement.

Lucero also said the district was also working with their food services department and receiving recommendations from the CDC, the CSDE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding ways to distribute meals to students in the event of a school closure.

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.

As of Thursday afternoon, five Connecticut residents, including the Stamford resident, and two hospital employees have tested positive for the virus. Additionally, Greenwich Hospital announced Thursday morning a New York resident who received treatment in the hospital's emergency department tested positive for the virus.

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.

On Thursday, a person in Stratford became the fifth Connecticut resident to be diagnosed with the virus. The news came after officials announced earlier in the week that a Wilcoxson Elementary School student had been exposed to the virus and become ill.

Further information regarding updates related to school closures and the virus can be found at the Stamford Public Schools website.