Ridgewood Schools Report Winter Break COVID Cases

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Ridgewood Public Schools are reporting "individuals" — presumably, a combination of employees and students — within the district tested positive for the coronavirus during the December recess period.

In a letter from acting Superintendent Thomas Gorman, the district reports 11 people affiliated with district schools in some way have tested positive.

Here's the breakdown at each school:

• Three cases at Ridgewood High School
• Four cases at Benjamin Franklin Middle School
• One case at George Washington Middle School
• Two cases at Willard Elementary School
• One case at Somerville Elementary School

According to the district, the Village Health Department "determined no close contacts in school were found for all of the cases; therefore, only the individuals and family members are quarantined."

Ridgewood Schools began the second semester of classes with a remote learning model Monday, with an expected return date of Jan. 19.

This decision was made at least in part to mitigate the transportation of the coronavirus after the holidays.

Gorman, in a separate letter, urged students and staff to be mindful of how they interact with others outside the classroom as cases rise.

"Now is also the time for our students to socialize through technology. If we are truly going to contain and mitigate this virus, we have to keep our children from congregating together," he wrote.

"We must do our part to keep them safe and to protect the entire community."