SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE - September 24, 2021
The Ohio Department of Health is piloting a Test & Stay program in ten (10) Warren County districts that will begin on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. Test & Stay is a testing initiative for asymptomatic close contacts of students with confirmed COVID-19. This testing program will allow asymptomatic close contacts to remain in school if they receive an individual rapid antigen test (BinaxNOW) two times during their quarantine period and test negative, as well as wear a face mask while inside their school. This more strategic approach provides a second option for families that will allow students to remain at school.
Participating districts include Carlisle Local Schools, Clinton-Massie Schools, Franklin City Schools, Kings Local Schools, Lebanon City Schools, Little Miami, Mason City Schools, Springboro, Wayne Local Schools, the Warren County Career Center and the Warren County Educational Service Center.
ODH is providing the participating districts with Abbot BinaxNow Rapid Antigen Professional Test kits and Abbott BinaxNOW At-Home Test kits. School districts may administer professional tests at school to identify close contact students. Additionally, families may opt to test their child at home, and then utilize a telehealth session to oversee test administration and result reporting. All families using the at home test kit should follow the Ohio Department of Health User Guide: Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test Kit – User Guide.
Currently, the pilot only applies to students who are close contacts due to exposure at school, not through a community exposure or school-sponsored activity exposure. Families whose student has been identified as a close contact will have the option to participate in the pilot to stay in school, or they may quarantine for 10 days at home, or return to school on day 8 with proof of a negative test on day 5, 6, or 7. If a student is in the pilot program to stay in school, the student will not be permitted to participate in extracurricular activities outside of school hours. Students who are wearing a face mask or are vaccinated do not need to quarantine.
Warren County is partnering with the school districts and county commissioners using federally approved COVID-19 funds to provide a nurse for each district to help with testing and pilot implementation.
The superintendents of public-school districts in Warren County extend our thanks to the Warren County Commissioners for their willingness to provide funding for the employment of school nurses. Commission President Dave Young and his fellow Commissioners Tom Grossmann and Shannon Jones support the pilot project that will reduce quarantines of healthy students in Warren County schools.
We are grateful to be in the pilot project and as we collect data, we may see changes evolve. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we navigate this opportunity to keep healthy kids in schools.
