More schools ending in-person learning amid rising outbreaks

Hartford — Connecticut’s largest school district in Bridgeport is among several in the state to announce an end or scaling back of in- person learning as coronavirus rates keep rising.

Bridgeport Superintendent of Schools Michael Testani said Thursday that all instruction will be switched to remote learning on Nov. 23.

“The consistent increase in positive cases of COVID-19 in our community is cause for great concern at this time, as it affects our ability to safely keep our schools adequately staffed and safe for in-person learning,” he said in a notification to parents.

Bridgeport is seeing some of the largest increases of infections in the state, with a twoweek average of 53 new daily cases per 100,000 population. As of Thursday, there were 89 students and 30 staff members at 34 schools who had tested positive, Hearst Connecticut Media reported.

Also Thursday, Waterbury schools announced that four high schools and three middle schools will be moving from a hybrid model of some in-school classes and some remote learning to full remote instruction on Nov. 30. Plans call for students returning to schools on Jan. 19.

Ansonia schools also alerted parents Thursday that all inschool classes will end today and the district will switch completely to remote instruction through Jan. 18, citing the town’s high positive virus test rate of 27%.

Earlier this month, Hartford schools said they were reducing the number of in-person learning days per week for kindergarten through ninth grade beginning Nov. 16. On Tuesday, Shelton schools announced that all instruction would be moved online until January.

Many schools around the state have closed temporarily this school year because of students or staff testing positive for COVID-19. Within the past week, nearly 700 students and more than 300 school staff around Connecticut tested positive, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Despite increasing virus rates, Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday continued to urge school districts to keep in- person learning at least for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. He said data show young children are not a major contributor to rising virus rates, and long-term isolation can harm students socially and emotionally.

“I think Connecticut did well having the majority of their schools open as long as we have,” the Democratic governor said at a news briefing Thursday. “We’re going to watch this over the next couple weeks.”

Lamont added it was possible many schools could switch to remote learning after Thanksgiving, given the rising virus rates.