Elmhurst school shut down for two weeks to control COVID

The John F. Kennedy School in Elmhurst. Photo via Google Maps

By David Brand

The city has ordered an Elmhurst school for children with special needs to close for two weeks after at least two people tested positive for COVID-19 inside the building.

After the two cases were identified at the John F. Kennedy Jr. School on Sept. 29, the city initially shut down in-person classes for 24 hours to comply with health guidelines imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

The next day, the city’s Test and Trace Corps decided to close the 94th Avenue school for two weeks, Principal Henry Renelus wrote in a letter to staff and families.

The shutdown marks the first time the city has had to suspend in-person classes since they resumed for pre-K and special needs students Sept. 21. Elementary, middle and high school students returned to classes this week.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the cases were identified by the city’s new COVID-19 “situation room,” which was established two weeks ago. 

“The only situation where we have a school where there were two cases that were not related that lead to a longer shutdown just happened the last 24 hours,” de Blasio told reporters Thursday. “So, that school, as of today, is shut down for two weeks.”

The school has 262 students and 88 staff members, de Blasio added.

The term “blended learning” is how the city describes a hybrid of in-person and remote classes. 

Roughly half of public school students are attending in-person classes some days of the week but have the opportunity to opt out and go fully remote any time.