Guidance Update & Rapid Test Distribution
January 20, 2022
Dear KLSD Families,
With recent revisions to guidance from NYS, we are refining some of our COVID-related practices. These changes strengthen our ability to maintain in-person learning for all students, while remaining mindful of the health and well-being of all in our community.
NYS DOH recently shortened the timelines for quarantine and isolation to be in line with current CDC guidance. Students and staff who must isolate or quarantine can now return to school after five days, assuming they are well. Details are available here.
Last week, NYS informed schools we are no longer required to contact trace but are still encouraged to let families know if their children have been a close contact of a person who is COVID positive. When determining close contacts, KLSD will apply the CDC’s 3-foot guidance both in classrooms and on our buses. Details of what to do following close contact are available here.
KLSD is instituting a Test to Stay program, effective Monday, January 24th, under which asymptomatic, unvaccinated students and staff who are deemed close contacts can attend school through the quarantine period, so long as a daily morning COVID test is negative. Details about our Test to Stay program can be found here.
RAPID TEST DISTRIBUTION: This weekend, we will distribute rapid antigen COVID-19 test kits to all families who would like to collect them. We will distribute one kit per student (two tests per kit). These tests may be used if a child develops symptoms or, if necessary, to continue attending school through our Test to Stay program. They will be distributed as follows:
Saturday & Sunday, January 22 & 23 – Entrance of John Jay High School
9:00 am – 11:00 am
If you plan to collect a test kit, please arrive with an index card on which you’ve written your children’s first and last names, your last name (if different from your children’s last name) and your street address. We will collect those index cards. You will not need to get out of your car. Please note that you cannot pick up kits for the children of friends, only for your own children.
Finally, and importantly, we remind all that our collective efforts are keeping our schools open. If a student or staff member is sick, please stay home. If your children are not yet fully vaccinated or boosted, and are eligible, please consider it. As you’ll see in the revised guidance linked above, vaccination and boosters only increase the opportunities to fully access school.
Thank you, as always, for your partnership.
Andrew Selesnick, Superintendent of Schools