Ridgefield Schools Set Friday For Reopening Decision

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Public Schools will make a decision Friday on when and how to reopen, after closing in the wake of four confirmed coronavirus cases last weekend.

"These cases had no connection to each other and could not be traced back to a known source. In a situation like this, the biggest public health concern is whether it is the beginning of an outbreak," Superintendent Susie Da Silva wrote in a note to parents on Wednesday. After consulting with town and school health officials, Da Silva temporarily closed grades 6-12 and moved grades PreK-5 to a hybrid model.

"We do not make these decisions lightly. Everyone at the table understands the enormous impact a change in learning model has on families, teachers, staff, academics, athletics, activities, and the community at large," Da Silva wrote. "You put your trust in us, and we feel the weight of that responsibility to make decisions that will keep everyone safe and healthy while providing the least disruption to learning and life."

School nurses at East Ridge Middle School, Scotts Ridge Middle School and Ridgefield High School placed phone calls in to everyone who had been asked to quarantine. The "vast majority" of those had been tested for COVID-19, and all who were tested received negative results, Da Silva said.


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The superintendent told parents she will be meeting with public schools medical advisor Dr. James Ahern and town health director Ed Briggs on Friday. At that meeting, "we will reevaluate our local risk level, whether RHS can re-open, and whether the elementary schools can shift back to a full in-person learning model. ERMS and SRMS will remain fully remote until they reopen in a hybrid model on Tuesday, November 10, assuming no new outbreak."

This article originally appeared on the Ridgefield Patch