Coronavirus School Closings In Connecticut: List

CONNECTICUT — A growing number of Connecticut school districts in Fairfield County and beyond have announced long-term closures amid growing concern over the new coronavirus. Nearly all colleges and universities have announced long-term remote learning.

Some schools and universities have been affected on a deeper level. About 300 students and staff at Wilcoxson School in Stratford are being asked to self-monitor after a student there was infected with the disease. Several parents and students in Westport came into contact with someone who later tested positive for coronavirus.

The state is waiving the 180-day requirement for schools to be in session. Gov. Ned Lamont ordered that schools need to open either 180 days or or by June 30 at the latest.

Here's a look at which Connecticut school districts have announced closures:
Avon Public Schools

When: March 16 to March 29

Details: Schools will be close during the time period.

Amity Regional, Bethany, Orange, Woodbridge
When: March 13

Details: The regional district and local districts will be closed until further notice.

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Bethel Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: Several Bethel High students and staffed attended a national conference where another attended tested positive for coronavirus. Schools are being closed Friday and potentially beyond that date.

Berlin Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: Schools will be closed for at least two weeks.

Bridgeport Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: Schools will be closed March 13 and all of next week.

Brookfield Public Schools
When: March 13 through 27

Details: Schools will be closed out of an abundance of caution.

Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford
When: Now through at least April 3

Details: The private boarding school is moving students to remote learning and will extend spring break through March 24 for students. Remote leaning will begin March 25 and continue through at least April 3.

Clinton

When: Now and for the next two weeks.

Details: Clinton Public Schools will be closed indefinitely, but for at least two weeks, beginning Monday, March 16, 2020.

Danbury Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: Danbury Public Schools will close until further notice.

Darien Public Schools
When: March 12 through 26

Details: Darien Public Schools will be closed March 12 through 26 due to concerns about the coronavirus. The move is similar to other nearby districts.

Derby Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: Schools will be closed March 13 through March 30.

Easton, Redding, Region 9 Schools
When: March 13 through March 20

Details: The schools will be closed to students and teachers.

East Hartford Public Schools

When: March 13 through at least March 27.

Details: Schools will be closed through at least March 27.

Ellington Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: Schools will be closed for at least two weeks.

Enfield Public Schools

When: Immediately

Details: Schools and officers will be closed indefinitely.

Fairfield Public Schools, Notre Dame-Fairfield
When: March 13

Details: Fairfield Public Schools will close beginning March 13. Notre Dame-Fairfield will be closed until at least March 27.

Farmington Public Schools

When: March 16 through March 27.

Details: School will be closed March 16 through March 27 with plans to reopen on Monday March 30.

Greenwich Public Schools
When: March 12

Details: Schools will close out of an abundance of caution.

Greenwich Academy, Sacred Heart Greenwich and Brunswick School in Greenwich
When: March 12 and 13
Details: Three private schools in Greenwich have announced they will hold "remote" or "distance" learning days this week before students head off for spring break.

Groton Public Schools:

When: March 16:

Details: On Monday, March 16, our schools will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon for students to retrieve materials and books. Then schools will be closed indefinitely.

Hamden Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: School will be closed starting March 13 and until an undetermined date.

Hartford Public Schools
When: March 16

Details: The school system will close effective March 16.

Keigwin Middle School in Middletown
When: Thursday, March 12, 2020 and Friday, March 13, 2020.

Details: "Late this evening, the City of Middletown (City) and Middletown Public Schools (MPS) were notified that a member of the Keigwin Grade 6 Middle School (Keigwin) community may have had contact with an individual in Connecticut who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus," the two top leaders said.

Greater Oaks Charter School, Bridgeport
When: March 12 and 13

Details: School is closed to give teachers time to prepare remote learning lessons.

Lauralton Hall in Milford
When: Now through March 13

Details: The school was closed after a parent of a student told school officials that he or she may have been exposed to the new coronavirus and was displaying symptoms. Learning will continue remotely. The student is in self-quarantine and isn't displaying symptoms.

Madison Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: School will be closed starting March 16 and until further notice.

Manchester Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: Schools will be closed for at least two weeks.

Milford Public Schools
When: March 16

Details: Schools will close March 16 and will remain closed until further notice.

Meriden Public Schools
When: March 13 through March 27

Details: The school system will be closed due to coronavirus concerns.
Monroe Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: School will be closed March 13. The superintendent will send a message regarding future closures.

Naugatuck Public Schools
When: March 13 through 27

Details: Schools will close March 13 through the 27. Days will be treated as snow days and be made up at the end of the year.

New Canaan Public Schools
When: March 12

Details: New Canaan Public Schools will be closed for the next 14 days after an elderly man from town tested positive from coronavirus through suspected community transmission. E-learning will begin March 13.

New London Public Schools

When: Immediate

Details: Schools will be closed for at least two weeks.

Newington Public Schools

When: March 13

Details: Schools will be closed until further notice.

Newtown Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: Schools will be closed for two weeks.

North Haven Public Schools
When: March 12

Details: Schools were dismissed early Thursday and will be closed for the next two weeks.

Norwalk Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: Schools will close early March 13 and then close for two weeks.
Notre Dame-West Haven
When: March 16

Details: Classes will move to online-only starting March 16.

New Haven Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: Schools will close March 13. An opening date hasn't been set
Region 14 Schools, daycare center

When: Closed through March 15, March 16 through 20 early dismissal days

Details: A woman in her 60s who contracted the disease came into contact with a student in the school district. The student she came into contact with is reportedly health and self-monitoring at home for 14 days. Schools will be dismissed early March 16 through 20.

Oxford Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: Schools are tentatively being closed for two weeks.

Region 15 Schools
When: March 13 through March 27
Details: School will be closed March 13 through the 27.

Ridgefield Public Schools
When: Currently closed

Details: Schools will be closed until further notice.

Rocky Hill Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: Schools will be closed until March 27. The town had its first positive coronavirus case Friday.

Simsbury Public Schools

When: March 13 through March 27

Details: Schools will be closed for two weeks.

Stamford Public Schools
When: March 13 through at least March 27

Details: Schools will be closed to students for the above dates.

Somers Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: School will be dismissed early March 13 and schools will close for two weeks beginning on March 16.

The Southport School

When: Closed indefinitely

Details; The school is closed indefinitely.

South Windsor Public Schools
When: March 16

Details: South Windsor Public Schools will be closed for two weeks. Additionally one person is being monitored for potential exposure to the virus.

Stafford Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: Schools will be closed for at least two weeks starting March 16.

Stratford Public Schools

When: March 13

Details: Schools will be closed March 13 and until further notice out of an abundance of caution. Wilcoxson Elementary School closed March 11 after a student contracted the disease. Around 300 people are being asked to self-monitor for the disease.

Shelton Public Schools
When: March 13

Details: Schools will be closed to students and teachers until further notice.

Stonington Public Schools

When: March 16

Details: At a minimum, schools will be closed for two weeks. Please be aware that as guidance is updated, this may need to be extended.

Trumbull Public Schools

When: March 13
Details: Schools along with several other town departments will close March 13 and until further notice.

Wallingford Public Schools
When: March 13 through March 27

Details: Schools will be closed. The Board of Education is discussing possibly taking days away from April break to make up for the closure.

Waterford Public Schools

When: March 13

Details: Schools will be closed for two weeks.

West Hartford Public Schools
When: March 16

Details: Schools will close starting March 16. The hope is that normal operations will resume in two weeks, but will depend on how the situation develops.

West Haven Public Schools
When: March 16 to 27.

Details: Schools will be closed from March 16 until March 27. The decision will be re-evaluated as the return date gets closer.

Weston Public Schools
When: March 12 until further notice

Details: School officials have "...received information of a potential exposure to COVID-19, which may have affected members of our school community,"

Westport Public Schools
When: March 11 until further notice

Details: Several parents and students came into contact with a person who is presumed to be positive for novel coronavirus. All schools will immediately undergo a deep cleaning regimen.

Wethersfield Public Schools

When: March 16 to March 27

Details: Schools will be closed during the time period.

Wilton Public Schools
When: March 12 until further notice

Details: Parents of one or more students have had direct contact with a potentially presumptive positive COVID-19 patient, officials said.

Windsor Locks:

When: Windsor Locks public schools will be closed for at least two weeks beginning on Monday, March 16 due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

Details: "It is my hope that school will resume on Monday, March 30th," officials said.

Vernon Public Schools
When: March 16

Details: Schools are being closed for two weeks starting March 16.

Windsor Public Schools

When: March 16 through March 27.

Details: Schools will be closed for two weeks.

Colleges and Universities:

University of Connecticut
When: March 23 to April 6

Details: UConn will move to online-only classes from March 23 to at least April 6. Employees who are able to telecommute are being asked to do so and events with more than 100 people are being cancelled.

University of New Haven
When: March 9 through March 24

Details: All in-person classes and exams have been cancelled. Residence halls closed March 10 and non-essential employees began working from home on March 11. All events during the time period are being cancelled as well.
Albertus Magnus College
When: March 16

Details: Spring break is extended and instead of starting March 16 students will start March 23 with a few exceptions. Certain classes will be held online through at least March 29.
Central CT State University
When: Through at least April 5

Details: Classes are being moved to online-only format through at least April 5 after spring break ends. Campus was closed Thursday after a student may have been exposed to someone who is being tested for coronavirus.
Eastern CT State University
March 23 through April 4

Details: Classes are being moved to an online-only format for the time period.
Western Connecticut State University

When: The university will be conducting all classes exclusively online from March 23 through April 3.

Details: WCSU made the decision "in light of the expanding impact of COVID-19 in Connecticut, the heightened risk factors from our adjacent New York communities, and the potential travel plans of students, faculty, and staff over spring break..."

Southern Connecticut State University

When: March 11 through at least April 5

Details: A student recently attended an out-of-state meeting where another participant tested positive for coronavirus. The Southern student has self-quarantined at home and has shown no symptoms after 10 days. The university is closed out of an abundance of caution for the next five days to allow a deep cleaning. Residence halls will close March 11. All Southern classes are being moved online following spring break and will continue to be online through at least April 5.

Norwalk Community College
When: Through April 5

Details: Classes have been halted at the college after a student may have come into contact with someone who tested positive for new coronavirus. The student is self-monitoring at home and has shown no signs of illness. The university will reopen for staff on March 16 and classes will be online until at least April 5.

Fairfield University
When: Remainder of March

Details: Classes are being moved to online-only for the remainder of March.
Trinity College
When: Through April 5

Details: College will move to an online-only format for students. The date may be extended depending on how the situation develops.

Wesleyan University
When: Through end of semester

Details: Classes are being moved to online-only format for remainder of semester.

University of Bridgeport
When: March 16 through undetermined date

Details: The university will not allow spectators when it hosts the first three rounds of the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship over the weekend. Additionally all classes are being moved online effective Monday.
Sacred Heart University

When: March 10 through 29

Details: Classes have switched to online-only for the time period. Clinical placements and labs will continue in-person as long as they are believed to be safe.

Yale University

When: Through at least April 5

Details: Students are being asked to stay home after spring break ends and classes will be held online. Students who are unable to leave Yale University will have separate instructions, but will also take classes online. Yale is also banning international university-sponsored travel and strongly urging the limitation of domestic travel. The Ivy League also announced that all spring athletic practices and competition will be cancelled.

Quinnipiac University

When: March 18

Details: Classes are being moved online effective March 18. The school is on spring break this week. Students will not return to campus until March 22, however, this could change depending on the coronavirus situation. There will be no classes March 16 or 17. Students can choose to remain at home and take classes remotely for the rest of the semester. The university will remain open.

Connecticut College
Details: Classes will be remote through at least April 30.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment. Older adults and people with underlying health conditions are most at risk, according to health officials.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Additional reporting by Connecticut Patch staff, Jenna Fisher, Patch Staff