Important COVID Communication
Keep Each Other Safe
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We Are At Our Finest When We Take Care of Each Other
I want to thank everyone for actively supporting our efforts to keep students in school for in-person learning. Like many other schools, we have had a small percentage of our community test positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, we've had minimal disruption to instruction. That's because of your adherence to state, local, and school district guidelines.
Lowell's pooled testing results have come back negative for every cohort since we began testing in early January. It shows that our efforts are working. Last week, we had over 80% of our students taking part in pooled testing. I'd like to see that number increase even further. If you haven't yet signed up your child for pooled testing, you still have time to do so. Testing is easy and painless and takes only seconds to complete. Our very own school nurses are collecting the student and adult samples. I've included the pooled testing sign-up link below.
Having pooled testing for students is great, but it's not the only resource available to your family. Watertown residents may sign up for free testing; the site is located at the Commander's Mansion at 440 Talcott Avenue. I've included the testing dates and times along with a link for you below.
Also critical to this effort is immediate notification of a confirmed positive COVID-19 test. Suppose someone in your household has received a confirmed positive COVID-19 test. We ask that you notify the school right away. Even if you receive the results over the weekend. Notification is essential to avoid the spread of illness. Please contact the school immediately. Here are the numbers and email addresses you can reach us seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
IF your child tests COVID positive:
contact:
Principal Stacy Phelan at stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma.us
or
Nurse Katherine Taverna at katherine.taverna@watertown.k12.ma.us
within 24 hours (weekends too)
Feel free to call Mrs. Phelan's Cell # 1-617-581-8454
Our School's main number is 617-926-7770 Monday-Friday 7:30-3:30.
Please include a contact phone number and email address we reach you.
Your medical information will be kept confidential.
Thank you for your continued support and efforts,
Stacy
Student COVID Testing at Lowell Weekly by Cohort
It's not too late to sign up! We have almost all of our class getting tested and would love to get it to 100% of students! Watertown Public Schools are offering weekly COVID pool testing for students. Although we have many precautions in place, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance, getting tested is truly the best way to ensure we do not spread COVID at school and keep students in the building.
This is voluntary, but we highly encourage everyone to sign up. Teachers have been getting tested weekly since we've gone back to school. These tests are not painful - they do not swab nearly as far as they used to. The swab goes less than an inch up your nose, and no students have complained yet!
Please use this form to indicate your interest in having your child(ren) tested as part of our COVID-19 surveillance testing program. You only need to fill out the form once, not each week. If you have already filled out the form, there is no need to fill it out again.
Use the following form to sign your child up for testing.
James Russell Lowell Elementary School
Main Office ext. 33001
Email: stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma.us
Website: https://lowell.watertown.k12.ma.us/
Location: 175 Orchard Street, Watertown, MA, USA
Phone: (617) 926-7770
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JRLowellElementary