Hoboken's Wallace Elementary Reports 2 Positive Coronavirus Cases

HOBOKEN, NJ — Students at Wallace Elementary School will learn remotely until Nov. 9 after district officials informed parents Wednesday night of two positive cases of the coronavirus at the school.

In the letter obtained by Patch, Hoboken Public Schools Superintendent Christine Johnson wrote that the two cases involved individuals who were in school, without absence, over the past week. School officials decided to shift to remote learning until Nov. 9 after conducting contact tracing and notifying people who were in close contact with the infected individuals. The district defines close contact as anyone who was within six feet of the two individuals for more than 10 minutes.

In addition, Miles Square pre-kindergarten classes will also be held remotely since they are held at the school, Johnson wrote. Johnson is not permitted by law to disclose whether the infected individuals are students or teachers or staff but indicated she has seen a number of social media posts that are not accurate, she wrote.

“The reason for the decision to shift to remote instruction at Wallace Elementary School at this time is because there is an overlap in the two positive COVID cases and we can better ensure proper classroom instruction and coverage for these next nine instructional days,” Johnson wrote. “During this time, we will continue to clean and disinfect the school building.”

All other schools within the district will remain open, Johnson said. Only those teachers and families who were notified about the close contact with the individuals who tested positive will need to quarantine. Siblings of Wallace Elementary students who were not notified that they were in close contact with the infected individuals will not need to quarantine unless someone in their home tests positive, Johnson wrote in the letter.

Wallace Elementary is one of three primary schools in Hoboken and is the first public school in the city to report a confirmed positive case. Last week, Elysian Charter School, one of three charter schools in Hoboken was forced to shift to a remote model after reporting that a student at the K-8 school tested positive for the coronavirus. School officials there have not disclosed how long the school will remain in remote learning.

Earlier this week, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla said that indoor social gatherings was partly to blame for a spike in local positive cases after 22 city residents tested positive for the coronavirus over a four-day period.

“It's so important to keep up the habits we've practiced during the summer months ... wear a mask at all practical times, social distance, and wash your hands,” the mayor said earlier this week. “As before, we ask residents to avoid any social gatherings indoors beyond members of the same household. If you are seeing friends or extended family, please try to stay outdoors as much as possible."