Brooklyn, Queens Catholic Elementary Schools To Close Next Week

NEW YORK, NEW YORK — All Brooklyn Diocese elementary Catholic academies and parish schools will close next week over coronavirus caution, the diocese announced.

The closure will last March 16-20 and affects Catholic schools across Brooklyn and Queens. The diocese is the latest New York City school system to shutter its doors or scale back to halt COVID-19's spread.

"The decision to close schools was made out of an abundance of caution due to the rapidly changing situation surrounding the Coronavirus and after further consultation with representatives of city and state agencies," the diocese wrote in an announcement. "For your information, there are no confirmed cases in our schools reported to us by the New York City Department of Health."

There are 45,000 students in the Brooklyn Diocese's schools, according to its website.

The diocese's announcement stated its teachers will use March 16 to develop distance learning plans.

To keep up to date with coronavirus developments in New York and school closings, sign up for Patch's news alerts and newsletter.

"The Schools Office anticipates that beginning on Tuesday, students of the Diocese of Brooklyn Catholic schools and academies will have access to online learning," the diocese wrote. "While we understand that not all families may have access to online learning, we have directed all academies to utilize alternative instructional processes."

Staff will clean the schools according to CDC guidelines, the diocese wrote.

Coronavirus in NYC: A Roundup of What's Happening