Harrington Happenings
December 12, 2021
Happy Sunday Harrington Families
I hope everyone has had a nice weekend. The weather has not been the best, but today wasn't too bad. Looks like the week at least will be fairly reasonable. We had an amazing turnout at our Winter Store this past weekend, thank you to the Harrington and Byam communities for coming out on such a stormy day in support of both of our great schools.
As I mentioned last week, please be aware that all students go outside when the temperature is above 20 degrees real feel. Please send your child to school wearing appropriate outdoor clothing for the weather. We highly encourage you to practice getting dressed in the snow gear as quickly as possible- make a game of it and time it! The expectation is, if you child is well enough to come to school, they are well enough to go outdoors.
Thanks for taking the time to remind students of the winter expectations. Snow play is beloved by many and we want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to safely enjoy their recess time during these months.
On the COVID front, now that children ages 5-11 are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine, there are changes in testing and quarantine protocols for these students.
An individual is considered fully vaccinated once they have received 2 doses of the vaccine and they are 14 days past the second dose. If a vaccinated individual is subsequently identified as a close contact, and is asymptomatic, they are exempt from the testing and quarantine protocols, including Test and Stay. A vaccinated individual who is identified as a close contact should monitor for symptoms of Covid for 14 days. If a vaccinated individual experiences Covid symptoms, they should isolate from others, inform their healthcare provider, and schedule a Covid test.
Please note, if a student is fully vaccinated, they are not eligible for Test and Stay. The Test and Stay protocol is intended for unvaccinated, asymptomatic individuals identified as a close contact to a positive case in the school setting. DESE has strict testing criteria for the Test and Stay protocol so that we are unable to test vaccinated individuals.
Please continue to follow our Covid-19 protocols, which includes completing wellness checks prior to coming into school and to keep your child at home if they are not feeling well. It is also important to let the school know if their child is identified as a close contact outside of school.
We strongly recommend those eligible to be vaccinated!! Covid-19 vaccines have undergone, and will continue to undergo, intensive safety monitoring. Covid 19- vaccines are effective and can reduce the risk of getting and spreading the virus that cause Covid-19. There is strength in numbers! Getting the vaccine can protect families, communities, and our schools.
COVID-19 Vaccination Status
Parents are asked to provide documentation of vaccine status for their child so that we may appropriately identify close contacts exempt from COVID-19 testing and quarantine protocols in the event a student of staff member tests positive for Covid -19. One of the significant changes this year, over last, is that asymptomatic vaccinated individuals are exempt from testing and quarantine protocols. Vaccination is a key mitigation strategy as we work to provide a healthy and safe learning environment in our school community. If a parent elects not to share the vaccine status of their child, the child is assumed unvaccinated and must follow COVID-19 test and quarantine protocols for unvaccinated individuals. Parents may access the COVID-19 vaccination notification status form at the following link to inform CPS nursing staff of their child’s vaccination status: https://forms.gle/7ovjaPWQVijtEwhS8. You are required to log-in to a Google account to upload your form. If you do not have a Google account, you may upload the form through your child’s school issued Google account. Please complete a separate form for each child that attends a Chelmsford Public School
If your child has received 1 dose of the vaccine, please wait, and upload the vaccination card once both vaccinations have been completed. Thank you for cooperation and support!
As always, thank you for your continued support of our Harrington community. Please reach out to me or Karen with any questions or concerns as always.
Once again, remember to…"Push through your day, Smile, Be Happy, Stay Positive!"
Be safe! Stay well!
Rob & Karen
Let's Stay Connected!
COVID Update for Harrington Families
Testing is critically important to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you have symptoms, you should be tested, regardless of vaccination status. If you have recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days, you should consult with a healthcare provider before testing again.
It has come to our attention that many families have been using at home tests for the COVID-19 virus. While we appreciate testing at home with the antigen test, the at home test, in the school setting, is not considered a confirmed positive test. Once you have a positive home test, please schedule a laboratory test (PCR) to confirm the positive home test immediately. The PCR test is the most accurate way to diagnosis the COVID-19 virus. It is also important to contact your healthcare provider and school nurse to inform of the positive test.
It is important to note that, for now, the at home test is discarded after use. The results of the home tests are not reported to the Department of Public Health and the positive test is not processed and sequenced in a lab. This will weaken the ability to track variants, discover mutations and document positive cases.
Testing is critically important to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you have symptoms, or have been identified as a close contact, you should be tested, regardless of vaccination status. If you have recovered from COVID-19 within the past 90 days, you should consult with a healthcare provider before testing again.
If the test is positive for COVID-19, the positive individual must isolate away from others in the home. Please inform your healthcare provider and the school nurse of a positive test, as well as notify any close contacts. A close contact is someone who was within 6 feet (while indoors) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
In consultation with the Chelmsford Board of Health, these are the recommendations for unvaccinated and vaccinated close contacts:
An unvaccinated close contact should:
- Quarantine and follow the testing and quarantine guidelines for the exposure.
- It is recommended that unvaccinated close contacts test immediately and then again on day 5.
- The rationale for testing immediately, is that in the event of testing positive, the 10- day isolation period can begin sooner rather than later.
- Unvaccinated close contacts must monitor for symptoms for the full 14-days.
- Unvaccinated close contacts may participate in Test and Stay if the exposure to the positive case was in the school setting.
- To be eligible to participate in Test and Stay, consent for Test and Stay must be received by the school a minimum of three days prior to the exposure.
- The link to consent for Test and Stay is:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfSHazJ4EQvmKRfes5QkMmCdcjOjrqpTlecVxPd6PXMlmLZA/viewform
*Please note: If the exposure to the positive case was in the home or in the community, this is a higher risk exposure. Therefore, the quarantine must be completed at home and the close contact is not eligible to participate in Test and Stay.
In the school setting, vaccinated close contacts:
- Are exempt from testing and quarantine protocols.
- However, we recommend testing, as vaccinated close contacts in some instances are testing positive. Therefore, it is recommended (not required), to test immediately and if negative, to test again on day 3, 4 or 5.
- Vaccinated close contacts must wear a mask until a negative test is received.
- It is recommended that vaccinated close contacts monitor for symptoms for the full 14-days.
Nationwide, and in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, there has recently been an increase in the number of positive cases. However, the good news, is that due to the high vaccination rates, the symptoms experienced in most cases have been relatively mild. We have seen that same trend in our school community as well.
While we have seen an increase in cases in our school population, the vast majority of the positive cases have been traced back to exposures in the home or at an event outside of school. Understandably, we are seeing many signs of “COVID FATIGUE”- however, it is imperative to continue the practices that we know will stop the spread of COVID-19. We ask for your help promote the following mitigation strategies:
- STAY HOME IF NOT FEELING WELL
- If experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, test immediately and isolate until results are back
- If identified as a close contact, please follow the testing and quarantine protocols
- If diagnosed with COVID-19, please follow the 10-day isolation protocol
- Wear a mask while indoors (masks should fit snugly around the nose and mouth)
- Frequently wash hands with soap and water and/or use hand sanitizer.
- When feasible, maintain physical distance from others
Lastly, we strongly encourage those eligible to be vaccinated and to receive the booster! The COVID-19 vaccine and booster will increase the level of protection against the virus. The vaccines have undergone, and will continue to undergo, intensive safety monitoring. Covid 19- vaccines are effective and can reduce the risk of getting and spreading the virus that cause Covid-19. There is strength in numbers! Getting the vaccine can protect families, communities, and our schools.
The collective health of our school community, and our community at large, relies on a collaborative partnership with our families. This partnership requires our families to follow the best practices and guidelines that we know will decrease the spread of the virus.
As always, thank you all for your cooperation and continued efforts to help stop the spread of COVID-19!
Peggy Gump, M.Ed BSN RN
Coordinator of Nursing Services
Chelmsford Public Schools
200 Richardson Road
N. Chelmsford, MA 01863
978-341-5521
Grade 2 Mitten & Glove Drive
Our second grade students will be creating a “Garland of Giving” during the upcoming holiday season. Beginning December 1st, please consider donating new mittens and gloves of all sizes to our community bin located in the Harrington lobby. We will be accepting donations until Friday, December 17th. The mittens and gloves will be donated to The Wish Project in the name of Harrington School. What a wonderful gesture of kindness and community service this will be! We hope to beat our 2019 donation of 290 pairs of mittens and gloves. Thank you for your contributions to help those in need during the upcoming winter season.
SCHOOL REMINDERS -
HPTO Meetings: On that first Wednesday of each month we hold our HPTO meetings at 6:30, in person and virtually. Our PTO gives parents and teachers the opportunity to work together to supplement and enrich the educational experience for all. Harrington Elementary is incredibly fortunate to have such a strong, dedicated, motivated, well-functioning PTO. Our HPTO is the teacher's and community's most important ally when it comes to achieving curricular and fundraising goals throughout the year. I know that everyone leads busy lives, as does this amazing PTO board, so, I would ask all of you to try to take some time at the beginning of each month to support our HPTO by attending their meetings either in person or virtually. If you have a Facebook account, join the HPTO page for important news and information of upcoming events and links to the meetings.
Approaching Cold Weather: As we approach our cold weather season, please make sure students are coming to school with the appropriate clothing. Unless we reach a specific threshold in regards to temperature, the plan will always be to go outside as much as possible for mask breaks and recess.
HPTO
Thanks to all who came to the Little Shoppers Winter Store yesterday! We had a great turn out with many happy faces to be seen! We hope you enjoy your gifts!
Our next meeting will be Wednesday February 2 at 6:30pm in the Harrington Library and online. Follow our Facebook page for the link to join! Please note that there will not be a meeting in January due to the Table Talk Math book group.
C. D. Harrington Elementary School
Email: asselinr@chelmsford.k12.ma.us
Website: https://harrington.chelmsfordschools.org/
Location: 120 Richardson Road, North Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-251-5166
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harringtonelementarychelmsford/