Grand opening, grand closing.
A Queens elementary school was forced to close just one day after resuming in-person classes this week due to several COVID-19 cases, sources told The Post.
PS 232 in Howard Beach transitioned to a fully remote format after mandatory coronavirus testing on Monday turned up the cases.
Principal Lisa Josephson told frustrated parents in a Tuesday email that the school had to close down classrooms.
“Today, we learned of multiple positive tests across the school community because of that testing,” she wrote.
According to state data, PS 232 has had six infections among teachers and staff in the last week and one student case.
Since the screening took place after an extended break in any building activity, Josephson said the transmissions likely took place off campus.
“In other words, there is no concern that the school community itself is the source of this spread,” she wrote.
In keeping with Department of Education protocols, the school had to cease all building activity in order to examine the cases more fully.
“I realize this notice comes late and it may not be easy to adjust to this change in plans, but our interest in preserving the health and safety of our school community comes first,” Josephson wrote.
Roughly 850 schools for kids in K-5 and pre-K programs resumed in-person classes this week.
The DOE was not immediately able to say how many schools shuttered due to COVID-19 cases detected during mandatory testing this week.