Wolf closes Pa. schools for 10 days because of coronavirus

• Scott Blanchard/WITF
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  As director of journalism, I work on things like newsroom strategy, culture, ethics, and training; I work with reporters (mainly climate reporter Rachel McDevitt) on stories; and I'm deeply involved with our community engagement efforts and collaborations with other news organizations.
  
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 Dan Gleiter / PennLive

Custodian Luis Perez uses a cleaning solution applied to a cloth to wipe down all high-touch areas in a chemistry classroom. Custodial staff at East Pennsboro High School sanitize surfaces each day as a precautionary measure for the coronavirus, known as COVID-19, March 11, 2020.

(Harrisburg) — Gov. Tom Wolf is closing all K-12 schools in Pennsylvania for two weeks, starting Monday, “to ensure the health and safety of our students and school communities.”

“Be aware that no school district will be penalized if it fails to meet the 180 day or school hours requirements,” he said in a statement.

Citing the potential spread of the coronavirus, many school districts in central Pennsylvania already had decided to close for two weeks before Wolf’s announcement at 3 p.m.

Some, however, such as Northern Lebanon School District, previously said they would close for one week. Wolf’s closure of schools for 10 business days means classes would resume March 30.

Wolf said his administration would monitor the COVID-19 situation and, after the 10 business days, decide whether schools should re-open.

He said schools will be able to serve meals to low-income students in ways that do not require students to gather together, “such as a drive-through or grab and go,” while schools are closed.

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