Good Morning,
After our weekly testing results were shared this morning we learned that we have 8 students who tested positive, which in the realm of things is not bad, unfortunately, those 8 are in separate classrooms. With the addition of 8 classrooms we will not have enough testing supplies to fully test all our students who would qualify for the Test to Stay program. So, at this time I have instructed the Building admin and nursing staff to test those students that we can and if a student is asymptomatic (no Symptoms) and unable to be tested to offer to parents the option of remaining at school as long as they are asymptomatic. Any student who is symptomatic and does not meet the criteria to remain in school will trigger a call to parents and quarantine that student until we can return to our Test to Stay program.
I will continue discussions with Health officials today, as I have been in contact with them this entire week to determine what we can do to alleviate our situation. If I am directed to act in a different manner we will comply with those directives.
I know that this decision will not be popular with some of our staff and parents, but our experience from our own "test to Stay" program indicates the vast majority of students who enter the test to stay program test negative throughout the process and are able to remain in school. Sending 8 classrooms, along with the three already in "Test to Stay' home to quarantine is not a good option for students or teachers, by doing so would only move us closer to a remote/elearning scenario.
Again, I will confer with health officials and if directed to take another path we will comply. I am sorry we are in such a controversial situation but we will work through this and move forward in one way or another.
After our weekly testing results were shared this morning we learned that we have 8 students who tested positive, which in the realm of things is not bad, unfortunately, those 8 are in separate classrooms. With the addition of 8 classrooms we will not have enough testing supplies to fully test all our students who would qualify for the Test to Stay program. So, at this time I have instructed the Building admin and nursing staff to test those students that we can and if a student is asymptomatic (no Symptoms) and unable to be tested to offer to parents the option of remaining at school as long as they are asymptomatic. Any student who is symptomatic and does not meet the criteria to remain in school will trigger a call to parents and quarantine that student until we can return to our Test to Stay program.
I will continue discussions with Health officials today, as I have been in contact with them this entire week to determine what we can do to alleviate our situation. If I am directed to act in a different manner we will comply with those directives.
I know that this decision will not be popular with some of our staff and parents, but our experience from our own "test to Stay" program indicates the vast majority of students who enter the test to stay program test negative throughout the process and are able to remain in school. Sending 8 classrooms, along with the three already in "Test to Stay' home to quarantine is not a good option for students or teachers, by doing so would only move us closer to a remote/elearning scenario.
Again, I will confer with health officials and if directed to take another path we will comply. I am sorry we are in such a controversial situation but we will work through this and move forward in one way or another.