Back to School COVID Protocols / Protocolos de COVID de volta às aulas

• mary
• 3 years ago

Dear MVRHS Community,

The faculty, staff, and administrators are energized and ready to welcome students back to fully in-person learning this week. As much as we desire to leave pandemic-related planning behind us, we must continue to monitor and respond to current health conditions. Utilizing health and safety measures to support learning and ensure students are connected with their peers and teachers is critical this year. With these measures in place, we can successfully address unfinished learning and provide appropriate social and emotional support to students as they recover from a very challenging school year. 

In order to keep everyone safe and healthy, the state is requiring all staff and students/parents to complete a new consent form (note: a link to this form was included in an email from MVPS on 9.8.21). If you haven’t completed the consent form, you can access it here. 

We are also requiring all students and parents to review and complete the COVID-19 Parent Symptom Check Agreement which is part of the FamilyID student registration process. If you haven’t completed it yet – here is the link. 

Aligned with the latest protocols and guidance of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), we will be implementing a multi-layered testing and response plan on school grounds, which you will find outlined below:

COVID Testing Protocols:

• Symptomatic Testing: This protocol will be used for students and staff who develop symptoms while at school (note: individuals should contact their doctor if they are experiencing COVID symptoms at home to determine if testing is necessary and available. if experiencing symptoms while at home). Samples are collected by the school nurse using the BinaxNOW rapid antigen test. Those testing negative with isolated/mild symptoms can stay in school. 

• “Test and Stay” Rapid Test Program. In the past, staff and students who have been identified as a close contact have had to stay home from school to quarantine. The new “test and stay” program is an effort to keep everyone in the building as much as possible! When an unvaccinated individual is identified as a close contact, they will be eligible to participate in this program. We will be utilizing the BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen test in the morning before school for 5 days following their exposure. If your child is a close contact, they will not be able to ride on the school bus during this 5-day period. If the rapid test is negative, they can attend school that day; if their test is positive, they will be sent home. 

• Weekly Surveillance Testing: Similar to last year, each week a group of staff and students will be selected to participate in testing. Those identified will be notified via email each Monday and will submit a test on Tuesday at school. Unlike the test last year, this test will be a self-administered nasal swab test. The test takes a couple seconds and is not as invasive as the tests given at the hospital. Results of these tests will be returned to the school within 24 hours.

COVID Response Protocols:

• Protocol A: For individuals who test positive for COVID-19: 
  • Duration: 10-day quarantine after symptom onset or after positive test
  • Return to School: After 10 days (on day 11) and symptom free
  • Note: Return to school should be based on time and symptom resolution. Repeat testing prior to return is not recommended.

• Protocol B: For asymptomatic close contacts:
  • Duration:  7 days from the date of exposure
  • Return to School:  Remain in school so long as the individual is asymptomatic and:
    • Wear a mask in school at all times, other than when eating or drinking (keep 3 feet of distance when unmasked to the extent feasible). 
    • Test negative daily on school days and any weekend days for extracurricular activities (weekend tests = eMed Take Home Test) 
    • Quarantine at home on non-school/extracurricular days 
    • Monitor symptoms through day 14

• Protocol C: For symptomatic individuals while at school: 
  • Duration: Dependent on symptom resolution
  • Return to School: Individuals may return to school once:
    • Have received a negative test result
    • Have improvement in symptoms
    • Have been without fever for at least 24 hours 
  • If symptomatic before school, do not come to school — call your primary care provider.

Exemptions from Testing and Quarantine: 

• The following close contacts are exempt from testing and quarantine response protocols:
  • Asymptomatic, fully vaccinated close contacts
  • Classroom close contacts provided both individuals were masked and at least 3 feet apart
  • Bus close contacts provided individuals were masked and bus windows were open
  • Has tested positive for COVID within the past 90 days

Protocols and procedures will be revisited regularly as we monitor health data in our community and the state. For more information on the state testing program, please view the following document: DESE/DPH Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios – SY 2021-22.

If you have questions or concerns please contact Mike Savoy, School Nurse at mike.savoy@mvyps.org or at 508 – 693-1033 ext.116.

We are looking forward to a terrific school year in which our students thrive in our school community.

Thank you,

Sara Dingledy, Principal