School In Forest Hills Temporarily Closed Due To Coronavirus

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — A Forest Hills public school was ordered closed after two students tested positive for the coronavirus in rapid succession, according to city and state officials.

P.S. 101 The School in the Gardens will remain closed through Nov. 19 due to two students contracting COVID-19 within the span of a week, according to the state's dashboard of school coronavirus cases and a map of active cases from the NYC Department of Education.

All students will be fully remote while the school is closed, and no one is being allowed inside the school other than the staffers cleaning and disinfecting the building.

Students and teachers who were in class with the people who tested positive for the virus have been notified of the need to quarantine for 14 days, Principal Monique Paniagua wrote in a letter to families last week.

"The health and safety of our students and staff and everyone in the DOE family across the
city is our top priority," Paniagua wrote. "We are committed to ensuring you have the information you need on COVID-19 as we continue to navigate this public health emergency together."

In the letter, Paniagua declined to disclose additional information about the COVID-19 cases, citing the privacy of the individuals who tested positive for the virus.

Under NYC Department of Education policy, a school is closed if there are two confirmed cases within seven days that are not linked to a particular classroom or group inside a school.

Teachers and student cohort C are due to return to the school Nov. 20, the school said on its website.