Mansfield Public Schools
January 21, 2022
Dear Families:
I am writing to let you know, in accordance with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Department of Public Health (DPH), our district is updating our COVID-19 Testing Program, effective the week of January 31, 2022. We are opting into an at-home testing program that will increase testing of our participating students and staff, regardless of vaccination status. For more information about this update to the statewide testing program, please click here. We anticipate that the at-home testing option will begin during the week of January 31, 2022 and we will update families via our website, social media and family newsletters of the exact date once test kits are received. In addition to this new at-home antigen test option, we will continue with routine COVID safety checks and/or symptomatic testing during the week. As part of this shift in the program, we are discontinuing Test and Stay and contact tracing for in-school close contacts for all students. This means that if you are a potential contact in school, you may continue to come to school and do not have to quarantine. Unvaccinated individuals who are close contacts to an individual positive for COVID outside of the school setting will have to quarantine at home for the time period provided by their school nurse. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians of unvaccinated students to alert the school nurse of these situations.
This new at-home testing opportunity is voluntary and only those who opt-in will receive tests. Please respond to the online form by Thursday, January 27, 2022 at Noon to opt-in. If you have questions, please contact Christine.dooling@mansfieldschools.com.
COVID-19 Testing Programs in our Schools:
At-Home Rapid Antigen Testing on FRIDAY EVENINGS
Symptomatic Testing
Once distribution begins, students will receive their test kit no later than Friday afternoons. Test kits will come home with students in their backpacks. We encourage families to discuss the importance of keeping the test kits safe, not opening or tampering with the boxes, and to not leave the kits exposed to cold weather for an extended period of time.
Please use the link below to read the complete informational letter and to access the opt in link. Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Teresa Murphy
Superintendent
Contact Information
Email: school.notifications@mansfieldschools.com
Website: www.mansfieldschools.com
Location: 2 Park Row, Mansfield, MA, USA
Phone: 508-261-7500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mansfield-Public-Schools-508839202499633/
Twitter: @MansfieldSchool