At Westfield Public Schools, keeping your students safe and in school is our top priority. We are 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. We are opting into an at-home testing program that will increase testing of our participating students and staff, regardless of vaccination status. The at-home testing option will begin within the next few weeks. In addition to this new at-home antigen test option, we will continue with symptomatic testing during the school week. As part of this shift in the program, we are discontinuing Test and Stay and contact tracing for in-school close contacts. This means that if your child is a potential contact in school, they may continue to come to school and do not have to quarantine. This new at-home testing opportunity is voluntary and only those who opt-in will receive tests. We strongly encourage you to fill out the form by Feb. 4th to opt-in. If you have questions, please contact your school’s nurse.
Overview: At-Home Rapid Testing Program
About the Test: iHealth is a 15-minute at-home FDA-approved rapid antigen test
Opt-In: To participate, you must opt in by completing the Student Opt In Form. This form needs to be printed and sent into school. You will have a view only access. By opting in, you will agree to review the training materials for test administration, report positive test results to your student’s school, and administer the tests according to Westfield Schools’ guidelines.
Weekly: Every two weeks you will receive an iHealth at-home rapid test kit. Each kit contains two individual tests. Your student will administer one test each week.
Reporting Positive Test Results: If your student tests positive on an at-home antigen test, you will inform their school of the positive result using the Positive Case Reporting Form. The school will keep the results confidential and will not make individual results public. In addition, it is strongly recommended that you inform your healthcare professional of the positive result.
Easy, Free, and Flexible: This test is administered at home (not at school), reducing the burden on school staff and time to administer tests and increasing a family’s flexibility to do testing in the home for free.
How do I submit results?
Submit Results: You must submit positive test results to your student’s school using Positive Case Reporting Form
Confidentiality: Positive test results are shared with your school district for informational purposes only. Individual results will remain confidential, and they will never be made public.