You are reading

Greek Orthodox School in Astoria Closes for a Week Due to Three COVID Cases

Saint Demetrios School in Astoria closed for the week due to three COVID-19 cases among school members (Google Maps)

Nov. 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin

A private Greek Orthodox school in Astoria closed its buildings for the week on Monday after one staff member and two students tested positive for COVID-19.

Saint Demetrios School — which includes a high school, middle and elementary school — has switched to remote learning for all students through Friday.

School administrators decided to go remote after a teacher at the high school and two students in the elementary school tested positive for COVID-19, assistant principal of the high school, Helen Karagiorous, told the Queens Post Monday.

Administrators were alerted of the positive test results on Sunday and decided against holding in-person classes the following day as “a precaution,” Karagiorous said.

The teacher at the high school — who was not vaccinated — had already been out of school for about a week, the assistant principal said.

Mask-wearing is required inside the school buildings. However, teachers are not mandated to get vaccinated for COVID-19.

Karagiorous said the school “highly suggests” vaccinations for its staff members, but doesn’t require it. She added that roughly 80 percent of school staff have been vaccinated.

Both school campuses, at 22-30 33rd St. and 30-03 30th Dr., are closed for the week.

Saint Demetrios plans to reopen for in-person learning Monday after the school buildings are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

All students and staff will need to get tested for COVID-19 — and have a negative result — before returning to school Monday, Karagiorous said.

The three new cases at the school bring its total COVID-19 case count to six since Sept. 13, according to city data. The school has approximately 650 students and staff combined.

The private school is the second school in Astoria to close due to COVID-19 cases in the past week.

Last Wednesday, the DOE shuttered P.S. 166 The Henry Gradstein School after 25 positive cases were reported in a seven-day period. Classes at the school are also being held remotely through the end of the week.

There have been 37 total positive cases among the 975 school members — both students and staff — at P.S. 166 since Sept. 13, according to city data.

email the author: [email protected]
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

MTA seizes 19 ‘ghost’ cars registered to toll violators at Queens Midtown Tunnel on Monday

Two days before the MTA Board approved the controversial congestion pricing plan for Manhattan on Wednesday, the agency cracked down on persistent toll violators at the Queens Midtown Tunnel in Long Island City.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels seized 19 vehicles registered to persistent scofflaws on Monday and issued 81 summonses and confiscated two fraudulent incense plates. The MTA noted that the scofflaws accounted for approximately $483,000 in combined unpaid tolls and fees. One of the top persistent toll violators from the targeted enforcement owed nearly $76,000 in tolls and fees.