You are reading

Queens Catholic Schools Closed Next Week Amid COVID-19 Fears

Photo: Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy

March 13, 2020 By Allie Griffin

Queens Catholic schools will close next week, amid rising numbers of coronavirus cases in the city.

All Catholic academies and parish schools within the Diocese of Brooklyn — which covers both Queens and Brooklyn — will close during the week of March 16 to March 20, the Diocese announced today.

However, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at any schools within the Diocese jurisdiction, according to the announcement.

“The decision to close schools was made out of an abundance of caution due to the rapidly changing situation surrounding the Coronavirus and after further consultation with representatives of city and state agencies,” the Diocese said in a statement.

Teachers will utilize Monday to develop remote learning plans and students should have access to online learning the next day, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Chadzutko said.

“While we understand that not all families may have access to online learning, we have directed all academies to utilize alternative instructional processes,” Chadzutko added.

In addition, each individual school’s leadership will follow CDC guidelines to deep clean and sanitize the school buildings.

The Archdiocese of New York — which resides over Catholic schools in Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and upstate New York — announced yesterday that its schools would close next week as well.

Meanwhile, Mayor Bill de Blasio has said public schools will continue to remain open.

Yesterday, he declared a state of emergency in the city as the number of coronavirus cases hit 95 — with 17 positive in Queens  — but remained strong on the position to keep public schools running.

“We are going to fight tooth and nail to protect our school system,” he said at a Thursday evening press conference.

email the author: [email protected]
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Manhattan bouncer charged in New Year’s Day fatal stabbing in Elmhurst: NYPD

A Manhattan man was arrested on Saturday and charged in the fatal stabbing of an East Elmhurst man during the early morning hours of New Year’s Day in what notably became the city’s first homicide of 2024.

Torrence Holmes, 35, of St. Nicholas Place in Hamilton Heights, was taken into custody at his home and transported back to Queens, where he was booked at the 110th Precinct in Elmhurst on manslaughter and other charges on Saturday afternoon.

After surge of traffic violence, Queens leaders demand safer streets especially for children

Following a tragic week on Queens streets where three pedestrians — 43-year-old Natalia Garcia-Valencia, 58-year-old Elisa Bellere and 8-year-old Bayrron Palomino Arroyo — were fatally struck by unsafe drivers, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced that he has allocated $1.5 million in capital funding for street safety improvements on three of the borough’s most dangerous roadways.

Richards made the announcement at 82nd Street and Astoria Boulevard in East Elmhurst on Monday morning, about a mile from where the 8-year-old boy was struck and killed by an impatient pickup truck driver from Flushing on Mar. 13 as he walked in the crosswalk at 31st Avenue and 101st Street with him mother and brother, who was injured.