Voluntary WMS Student Testing
Asymptomatic Student Testing for COVID-19 Available
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Voluntary Student COVID-19 PCR Testing Set to Begin!
Good evening,
We are pleased to announce that we will be starting voluntary student COVID testing beginning this Tuesday, November 10, from 1:30-5:30 pm, for our middle school students.
As the Watertown Public Schools transition students to in-person learning, protocols such as face coverings, hand washing, social distancing, and additional cleaning measures are in place to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission among students, teachers, and staff in school buildings. While these measures are essential to providing a safe return to school, WPS provides voluntary staff testing, providing greater assurance for a safe return to school buildings. We are starting with WMS students this week, and will add elementary students and high school students right after Thanksgiving.
To create a more comprehensive system of safety, and to understand more about the COVID-19 transmission risk among all individuals attending school in-person, Watertown seeks to implement student COVID-19 testing as well. Student testing will maximize the longevity of in-person learning by quickly detecting, tracing, and isolating COVID-19-positive individuals—whether or not they become symptomatic. And, it will provide families and staff with peace of mind. The current safety measures in place combined with testing for staff and students will lower the risk of transmission and allow more consistent access to in-person instruction for our students.
Please use this form to indicate your interest in having your child(ren) testing this Tuesday afternoon, November 10, prior to starting school in the hybrid model. If you are interested, we will follow up with additional information, including a consent form and a registration form, tomorrow afternoon. Please fill out this form by 3:00 Monday, November 9. Even though this program is voluntary, we encourage all of our middle school families to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to keep our students and our community safe.
We have compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions that may answer many of the questions you may have about the testing. If you are not able to commit to testing at this time, we will be offering voluntary pooled testing every week for the foreseeable future. More information about the pooled testing will be provided later this week.
We are very appreciative of the financial support that we are accessing through the CARES Act grants that both the School Department and the Town received, allowing for testing at this point in time.
With kind regards,
Dede Galdston, Superintendent of Schools
Link to form for if you are interested in testing: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJ1wjE6AlMtWB-MrLe_kKLrnm2G6qy7HkKp9xSbkJArj9GWA/viewform?usp=sf_link
COVID-Testing VOLUNTEERS WANTED!
WPS will provide any PPE necessary for the volunteers: gowns, gloves, goggles, surgical masks, shields, hand sanitizer, etc. If interested, there is a place on the testing sign-up form for volunteering.
Thank you for considering helping out with this important initiative!