Coronavirus In Philadelphia: School District To Close 63 Schools Friday Due To Staffing Shortage Amid COVID-19 Outbreak
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The School District of Philadelphia announced Thursday night that 63 city schools will be closed on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic. School district officials say a staffing shortage is behind Friday's closing.
Officials say 15% or more of the staff at the 63 schools closing Friday live in Montgomery County. According to the school district, 2,100 (11%) of its 18,000 employees live in Montgomery County.
The school district says the staffing impact at the schools makes it unlikely to allow the schools to fully operate effectively.
"Since the onset of the coronavirus situation in the Philadelphia area, it has been the goal of our School District to safely keep our doors open as long as possible," Superintendent William Hite said in a statement. "The Philadelphia communities we serve rely on us for the many public school services we provide, including breakfast and lunch meals, shelter and health services. Unfortunately, the current set of circumstances make it difficult for us to keep all of our schools open."
Coronavirus School Closings: Area Schools Closed Over COVID-19 Concerns
Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday afternoon ordered mass closings in Montgomery County in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus in the county. The closure affects all schools, gyms, community centers and entertainment venues.
Philadelphia officials prohibited public gatherings involving more than 1,000 people for the next 30 days on Thursday.
The list of 63 schools is as follows:
AMY AT JAMES MARTIN
AMY NORTHWEST
BALDI MIDDLE SCHOOL
BARTON, CLARA SCHOOL
BUILDING 21
CAYUGA SCHOOL
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
COMLY SCHOOL
JAY COOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
DAY, ANNA B. SCHOOL
DOBBINS, MURRELL HIGH SCHOOL
DOBSON, JAMES SCHOOL
DUCKREY, TANNER SCHOOL
EDMONDS, FRANKLIN S. SCHOOL
ELLWOOD SCHOOL
EMLEN, ELEANOR C. SCHOOL
ENGINEERING & SCIENCE HIGH SCH
FELS, SAMUEL HIGH SCHOOL
FELTONVILLE ARTS & SCIENCES
FELTONVILLE INTERMEDIATE
FINLETTER, THOMAS K. SCHOOL
FITLER ACADEMICS PLUS
FRANK, ANNE SCHOOL
FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN ELEM SCHOOL
GIRLS, PHILA HIGH SCHOOL FOR
GREENBERG, JOSEPH SCHOOL
HENRY, CHARLES W. SCHOOL
HOPKINSON SCHOOL
HOUSTON, HENRY H. SCHOOL
HOWE, JULIA WARD SCHOOL
JENKS ACADEMY ARTS & SCIENCES
JUNIATA PARK ACADEMY
KENDERTON ELEMENTARY
KING, MARTIN LUTHER HIGH SCH.
LANKENAU HIGH SCHOOL
LINGELBACH, ANNA L. SCHOOL
LOESCHE, WILLIAM H. SCHOOL
LOGAN, JAMES SCHOOL
MASTBAUM, JULES E. HIGH SCHOOL
MCCLOSKEY, JOHN F. SCHOOL
MOFFET, JOHN SCHOOL
MOORE, J. HAMPTON SCHOOL
NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL
OLNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
PARKWAY-NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL
PENNELL, JOSEPH ELEMENTARY
PENNYPACK HOUSE SCHOOL
PENNYPACKER, SAMUEL SCHOOL
PHILADELPHIA MILITARY ACADEMY
POTTER-THOMAS SCHOOL
RANDOLPH TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL
RHAWNHURST SCHOOL
RICHMOND SCHOOL
ROWEN, WILLIAM SCHOOL
ROXBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL
SAUL, WALTER B. HIGH SCHOOL
SHAWMONT SCHOOL
SOLIS-COHEN, SOLOMON SCHOOL
VAUX BIG PICTURE HIGH SCHOOL
WAGNER, GEN. LOUIS MIDDLE SCH.
WASHINGTON, GROVER JR. MIDDLE
WEST PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL
WILSON, WOODROW MIDDLE SCHOOL