Dear SPS Families and Staff:
The increase in COVID cases over the past several weeks among students and staff has forced us to rethink our current protocols and requires a new approach. Due to the rapid increase in cases, we have reached a point in the pandemic where we can no longer determine where the transmission is originating. It is important to recognize that there has also been a significant decline in serious illness due to COVID. Fortunately, many of our students and staff who are testing positive for COVID report mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. The district will increase its focus on rapid testing in schools for symptomatic students and staff and will be taking part in DESE and MDPH’s at home testing strategy that was announced today. This shift will allow us to focus on the identification of symptomatic individuals. We will begin receiving at-home tests for students and staff and will distribute them over the next couple of weeks upon request. Detailed information will be provided on how these tests will be distributed.
Before highlighting the changes we are implementing, I want to stress that it is critical that sick students be kept home from school. Please continue to notify your school nurse of any positive COVID-19 cases in your home.
Close Contact Tracing and Test & Stay
- Close contact tracing of positive cases will be discontinued. All individuals should consider themselves close contacts of a COVID-positive individual.
- Because the test and stay program is tied to the contact tracing process, this program will also be discontinued.
- All cases district-wide and in individual schools will continue to be reported on our COVID Dashboard and we will inform athletic teams of positive cases.
Weekly Pool Testing
- Students and staff may still opt into weekly pool testing. Sign up here.
- Students and staff that have tested positive should not participate in pool testing until 90 days have passed. This is due to the fact that a person who has recovered from COVID may test positive for up to 90 days but cannot transmit the virus.
- Pool Testing results can take over 48 hours to return from the lab, Veritas Genetics will email you if a student or staff member tested positive.
COVID Vaccine Clinic
- We will be hosting our second clinic at the Wilkins Elementary School on Saturday, January 29, 2022, from 9am to 1pm. Sign up information can be found here and will also be posted on our social media pages. All from the Stoughton Community are welcome!
Thank you for taking the time to read this important message. If you have any questions, please reach out to your building nurse.
Sincerely,
Dr. Thomas R. Raab
Superintendent of Schools