Hamden, North Haven, West Haven, East Haven, Amity region schools close due to coronavirus concerns

Hamden Board of Education administrative offices at 60 Putnam Ave. Hamden Board of Education administrative offices at 60 Putnam Ave. Photo: Clare Dignan / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Clare Dignan / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Hamden, North Haven, West Haven, East Haven, Amity region schools close due to coronavirus concerns 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

The Hamden school district will indefinitely close all public schools beginning Friday while North Haven announced school closures for the next two weeks.

The towns announced late Thursday afternoon they’re joining other Connecticut school districts in closing schools to mitigate the spread of coronavirus.

North Haven schools dismissed early Thursday after one North Haven resident notified the town they had indirect exposure to the virus, known as COVID-19, and decided to self-quarantine, according to an announcement by First Selectman Michael Freda and Fire Chief Paul Januszewski.

The individual is being tested for the virus, they said.

“The health, wellness and safety of our residents and town staff are our top priority and we believe this proactive step will help to ensure we are meeting the goal of protecting our community,” Freda said.

All Hamden before-and-after-school and adult education programs have also been canceled and all Board of Education buildings are closed to the public indefinitely.

“We understand that closing schools will be difficult for many families, but this is an unprecedented situation that requires a community response,” the Hamden school district said in an announcement on its website. “As part of our community, Hamden Public Schools will do all we can to support our families during these challenging times.”

New Haven also announced it will close schools indefinitely because of coronavirus concerns.

Gov. Ned Lamont waived the 180-day requirement for schools Thursday, making it so the closures will not require districts to cut into scheduled breaks or extend the school year.

Beginning Wednesday, packets of educational materials will be available at the same locations. Anyone is allowed to pick up packets for their children.

Although schools will be closed, the district and school offices will reopen Tuesday for business that can be conducted by phone or electronically, the announcement said.

The Hamden Board of Education is also placing restrictions on large public gatherings and sporting events.

Hamden has also canceled all public meetings and gatherings until further notice and closed all non-emergency public buildings. The town said Legislative Council and BOE will be making decisions about their proceedings with announcements to come.

Freda announced the town is suspending upcoming town events, gatherings and non-essential meetings until further notice, as well as closing schools and several town buildings, for a minimum of two weeks.

Along with closed schools, all North Haven school sponsored events and programs are canceled. The town library, senior center, pool and community services daycare have also been closed.

“North Haven School District officials will continue to monitor the situation and proceed in a way that both minimizes the disruption to students’ learning while ensuring the wellness of the school community,” Freda said.

Additional cleaning will take place in all town and school buildings and is following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Connecticut State Department of Public Health, the announcement said.

West Haven schools announced they would be closed as of Monday until March 27, “Due to increasing concerns surrounding possible community spread of COVID-19.”

East Haven followed suit Thursday evening, with Superintendent of Schools Erica Forti ordering the town’s schools closed from today through March 27. Buildings will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized during that time. Additional communication will follow next week, Forti said in a written statement posted on the district’s Facebook page.

While schools are closed, East Haven Public Schools in partnership with Sodexo will continue to offer breakfast and lunch to children 18 or younger, beginning Monday, the district said in a later post.

Further, schools in Orange, Bethany, Woodbridge, as well as the Amity Region District 5 were closed Thursday afternoon until further notice, on the recommendation of the Quinnipiack Valley Health District and the Orange Department of Health, a notice on the Orange Board of Education website states.

“This step is being taken as a precautionary measure to limit community transmission of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19),” the notice states, going on to say, “The closure is effective immediately and will begin Friday, March 13, 2020,” without a return date.

“At this time, we anticipate schools will be closed until further notice. As this situation is evolving, we ask that you continue to check district websites for information and we will continue to use our communication systems to keep families and staff informed,” the notice states.

During the school closure, resources for supplemental learning may be available, the notice states.

mdignan@hearstmediact.com