Full-Time Reopening Of Fairfield Schools Delayed By Virus Spike

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Fairfield school district’s plan to bring elementary students back to the classroom full-time is off — at least for now — after the town was added Thursday to the state’s “red alert” zone for coronavirus infections.

The district, in consultation with the town health department, will continue to follow the hybrid schedule it introduced at the start of the school year, with students splitting their learning time between their classrooms and homes as a precaution against the pandemic.

“Our work towards full-time reopening continues, however the K-5 reopen date will be postponed,” Superintendent Mike Cummings said Thursday in a community message. “We will share more information as it becomes available.”

Cummings outlined the district’s plan for full-time, in-person elementary education at a school board meeting earlier in the month. Students in grades kindergarten through two were to return Nov. 9 to full-time classroom learning, with those in grades three through five joining them Nov. 12.

At the time, Cummings said the district’s ability to switch fully to in-person school depended on area coronavirus data. Many board members at the meeting pushed for a faster transition.

The state encourages schools in towns with an average daily case count above 25 per 100,000 people to consider switching to distance learning, while the “red alert” designation Fairfield received Thursday applies to municipalities that have a two-week average daily case rate above 15 per 100,000 people. Fairfield's rate was 19.6 for the days of Oct. 4 to Oct. 17, according to state data released Thursday.

Fairfield officials expected next week’s rate to be lower, and attributed the high rate mainly to the recent virus outbreak at Fairfield University.

Within the Fairfield school district, three students and three staff members had the virus as of noon Thursday, according to district data. Those cases were contained to Fairfield Ludlowe and Fairfield Warde high schools, Riverfield and Holland Hill elementary schools, and the central office. Another 26 students and two staff members had recovered after testing positive.

Additionally, 67 students and staff district-wide were in quarantine Thursday. Community members at a total of 15 district sites had tested positive, were in quarantine or both.