Lake View Jewish day school closes again after coronavirus spreads to two more relatives of student’s family

A Jewish day school in Lake View canceled classes again Thursday after a case of coronavirus spread to two more members of a student’s family, including a spouse who attended parent-teacher conferences last week.

Officials of Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School learned late Wednesday the spouse, and one child of the parent who was previously diagnosed with COVID-19, also tested positive for the virus, according to a statement from the school.

The school will be closed until Monday, March 23.

The two parents and child “are symptomatic but in good sprits,” school spokesman Brian Barasch said. The child with coronavirus is a student at the school and has not been in the building since March 4.

The decision to cancel classes again came after learning the second parent to test positive for coronavirus had attended March 5 parent-teacher conferences, Barasch said.

Although that parent did not have symptoms at the time, and only met with teachers for short periods of time, school officials decided to close the school against the guidance of the city’s health department, Barasch said.

“While we place great value on the expertise of our health partners, we place an even higher value on the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and families,” head of school Gary Weisserman said in the statement. “With that in mind, and recognizing the importance of our entire faculty in daily school operations, we decided it would be in the best interest of our community to close the school at this time.”

The school will monitor health of the teachers for seven days, Barasch said. Those teachers are not under self-quarantine, but are advised to practice social distancing.

Bernard Zell, 3751 N. Broadway, was initially closed Tuesday after the first parent tested positive for the virus after attending an out-of-town conference, Barasch said. He has been under self-quarantine with their spouse and children. Classes resumed on Wednesday to normal attendance.

The school enrolls more than 500 students from nursery through 8th grade, according to its website.