#Inside an NYC Catholic school classroom with COVID-19 safety measures

A Queens Catholic school is preparing to welcome back students into the classroom five days a week with a major coronavirus safety overhaul that includes clear barriers on every desk.

The Post was invited inside Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy in Little Neck, where children will not only find themselves in smaller-sized classes, but they’ll also be seated in their own see-through capsule.

The $70, flexible nylon shield is one of a number of tools being used amid the ongoing pandemic.

There will also be temperature scanners at five entrances, ionizers in all 19 classrooms and an HVAC cooling and heating system.

Everyone will also be required to wear masks and adhere to state and local health guidelines when instruction resumes Sept. 9. That remains the planned start date despite Mayor Bill de Blasio pushing back classroom instruction for public schools to Sept. 21.

The school’s principal, Miriam Bonici, said the desk shields add an extra layer of protection for students and educators, especially during mask breaks and lunch.

“We worked with a team to come up with different prototypes. Some were too heavy, others too expensive,” said Bonici.

A Queens Catholic school is preparing to welcome back students into the classroom five days a week with a major coronavirus safety overhaul that includes clear barriers on every desk.

“This desk barrier is lightweight, it has three clear panels on the side so children can see each other and allows for maximum visibility for teachers and for classmates,” Bonici said.

Students in grades two to eight each have their own individual desk and accompanying shields. Kindergartners and first graders will be met with plexi-glass guards on tables.

The details about who will be cleaning the barriers is still being worked out but Bonici said the classrooms will be disinfected and fogged daily.

The school has already undergone a deep-cleaning, down to every “every little crevice,” Bonici said.

It’s planning to reopen five days a week with a maximum of 16 students per class.

“My son is an alumni and I feel confident if he were still at the school I would send him in five days a week,” Bonici added.

“I feel there are enough safety measures in place to protect our children in the absolute best that we can.”

While the COVID-19 infection rate remains under 1 percent, de Blasio has said that if infection rates rise to 3 percent, all schools will be shuttered.

A spokeswoman for the Diocese of Brooklyn said Catholic schools in Brooklyn and Queens will follow the mayor’s mandate.

While nearly 400 students attend Divine Academy, 25 percent of the population has opted for remote learning and instruction will be live-streamed straight from the classroom.

“We’re optimistic and we hope everyone can get back to the business of learning in a safe environment,” Bonici said.