Cheltenham School District Shuts Down Due To Coronavirus

CHELTENHAM, PA — Cheltenham School District will be shut down for the rest of the week due to a parent's contact with a coronavirus patient, the district said Monday. It's the second Montgomery County school to announce a closure this week, along with Germantown Academy.

The parent served as a caretaker to an individual with a presumptive case of the virus. The parent and her child have both self-quarantined, the district said in a letter sent to families and staff members Monday.

The decision was made "out of an abundance of caution" after the district consulted with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. It comes as Fort Washington's Germantown Academy announced their own closure through next week due to a student's relative contracting the virus.

>>Germantown Academy Closes School Over Coronavirus Concerns

There are five known cases of coronavirus in Montgomery County, and ten all told in Pennsylvania. Two are in Lower Merion, one is in Lower Gwynedd, and one is in Worcester. The fifth case involved a King of Prussia cardiologist at a Montgomery County branch of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

>5th Montco Coronavirus Case, Person Critical: Officials

Both Wissahickon and Methacton school districts have clarified their schools have no connection to these cases, and they are open as usual.

Just like Germantown, all seven of Cheltenham's buildings will undergo a deep clean over the next several days, including special attention to "high touch" areas like door knobs, railings, desktops, student chairs, toilets, soap dispensers, toilets, faucets, sinks, water fountains, paper towel dispensers, light switches, handles, buttons, sanitary receptacles, countertops, lids, and push-bars on doors.

The district's schedule included four unused snow days in the 2019-20 calendar, so the closure will not require any rescheduling before the end of the school year.

Cheltenham will also use the next four days to devise a remote learning plan, should it be necessary to close the campus as the virus continues to spread.

The district will hold an assembly next week for students on proper hygiene and handwashing methods.