I hope you are well, and healthy! Last week Governor Baker and DESE announced a new at-home testing program that will soon be available to school districts across the Commonwealth.

Weymouth Public Schools will begin participating in the new at-home testing program following February vacation. The criteria of the program includes:

• Every student and staff member who voluntarily opts-in to the program will be issued an iHealth 15 minute rapid antigen kit (two tests) biweekly. (*iHealth antigen tests are FDA available under the Emergency Use Authorization)

• To participate and receive free at-home tests, you must complete the opt-in form.

• Those in the program will self administer one test weekly on Tuesdays.

• The test and stay program will be discontinued, and we will no longer contact trace in our schools. This means if your student is a close contact in school (regardless of vaccination status or participation in at-home testing) they will not be required to quarantine or test and stay. Unless your child is sick or tests positive for COVID-- they may come to school.

• Positive test results will be submitted on an electronic form, and school staff will follow up to discuss results and return to school dates.

Below, please find additional at-home testing information and FAQs. If you would like your student to participate in the at-home testing program and receive free, weekly at-home tests, please complete the form by Tuesday, February 1 to ensure we have enough tests at the launch of the program.

The decision to participate in at-home testing as a district was made with sincere consideration and input from district and school administrators, health administrators, state and local officials. We are optimistic to provide this new opportunity to our students and staff, which will allow us to focus the efforts of our school health staff on the symptomatic, and offer access to testing to optimize in-person learning. For more information about this update to the statewide testing program, and the data that supports it, please click here.

As always, it is our top priority to maintain safety in our schools. We will continue to monitor data and make changes as necessary.

Thank you,

Robert Wargo

Superintendent

• Opt-In Form for students and staff
• WPS At-Home Testing Information & FAQs
• About the Test: iHealth is a 15-minute at-home FDA-approved rapid antigen test
• Video: How to Administer an At-Home COVID Test
  
• Text Guide: How Do I Administer an At-Home COVID test?
  
• Coming Soon! Submit Positive Test Results - This is where you'll report a positive test result from your school administered at-home weekly test.
  

Website: www.weymouthschools.org
Location: 111 Middle Street, Weymouth, MA, USA
Phone: 781-335-1460
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weymouthpublicschools
Twitter: @WeymouthSuper