Coronavirus Cases Close 2 Crown Heights Schools: DOE

CROWN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Coronavirus cases have temporarily closed down two Crown Heights schools, which returned to in-person learning last week after a holiday recess.

P.S. 191 and P.S. 161 were among 105 schools across New York City facing a 24-hour closure on Monday, according to the Department of Education's map of active cases.

The closures come after at least two cases of coronavirus were reported within each campus.

At P.S. 191, two classrooms were closed, one on Monday and another on Saturday, before the building was shut down. At P.S. 161, two classrooms were closed on Monday before the full school closure, according to the map.

According to the Department of Education's guidelines, school buildings must automatically close pending an investigation when at least two COVID-19 cases linked to each other are confirmed in separate classrooms. The closure is extended when the infections occurred outside of school or a link between them cannot be determined.

The closures are among at least 50 in Brooklyn on Monday, including several others in or near Crown Heights.

I.S. 394 was finishing up a two-day closure on Monday that began on Dec. 29. P.S. 9 in Prospect Heights is also under an extended closure that began on Jan. 5 and will end this Thursday. Two schools in nearby Bed-Stuy were also added to the closure list on Monday, according to the map.

About 200 schools citywide are under coronavirus closures, whether for 24 hours or longer, and 682 classrooms are closed, according to the map.

Only pre-K, 3K, kindergarten, elementary and students with special needs are learning in person given a full public school shutdown in November.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, before students and teachers went on winter recess, said middle school students will be the next group to return to classrooms. A timeline for their return will be announced this month, he said.

Officials hope to avert another disruptive citywide school closure that shifts all students to fully remote, as happened in November. Coronavirus cases across the city remain at months-long highs, but schools appear to be relatively safe.

Find more information on schools closures here.