Robbinsdale Area Schools closed Friday over COVID-19 concerns

Schools in Robbinsdale, Minnesota are closed Friday due to concerns over COVID-19. 

Robbinsdale Area Schools said on social media the district made the decision to close schools, including all Adventure Club sites, and cancel after-school activities and practices out of an abundance of caution. Early childhood and Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) classes and events as well as Adult Academic Program classes are also canceled. 

According to an email sent to parents by schools, a parent contacted Forest Elementary school Thursday night to inform school staff they had been in contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. The parent reported that they were in the gym at Forest Elementary Wednesday during parent pick-up. 

The district said it is working diligently thoroughly clean and sanitize the gym and parent pick-up areas. 

Per Minnesota Department of Health recommendations, and as a preventative measure, the district asked the parent to keep their student at home until they receive further instructions from health officials. 

The school district said the parent is not currently displaying any symptoms, but they will remain in contact with them and continue to monitor the situation. 

At the time the decision was made to close the schools, there were nine confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Minnesota and more than 1,700 cases across the U.S. 

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Coronavirus in Minnesota: 9 cases of COVID-19 confirmed as of Thursday

Minnesota now has nine confirmed cases of the new coronavirus across seven counties. Four new cases were reported on Thursday. 

Robbinsdale schools are not the only ones that have decided to close over the coronavirus threat. Saint Thomas Academy and Visitation School canceled classes and campus activities Thursday and Friday after a parent of a student at Saint Thomas Academy tested positive for COVID-19. Classes will not resume until after their spring break, which starts next week. 

In general, however, the Minnesota Department of Health says it does not have plans to cancel classes for primary and high school students. 

Health officials say the virus presents less risk to children and closing schools could create unintended disruption. They worry closing schools could result in some students losing access to basic nutrition and other valuable resources available at schools. They also want to avoid disrupting the continuity of education for students. 

Several schools are closed Monday, so check with your local school for updates.