The North Shore and Merrimack Valley superintendents of schools have collaborated to make a timely and unified decision about school closure that they feel is in the best interests of their faculty, staff, students, and families. This decision was made after significant conversations among school leaders, local public health officials, and state officials. State officials have today urged that municipalities should make decisions based on their local circumstances, and given the rapidly changing COVID-19 crisis, which the World Health Organization has this week labeled a global pandemic.