Good Morning, Reading Public School Community,

Before we go on a well deserved February vacation, here is some information regarding pooled testing and vacation.

Pooled Testing

This is a reminder that if you would like your child to participate in the pooled testing program, please complete the following consent link located here and below.

https://bit.ly/3oXiiSa

We will begin a slow rollout of pooled testing the week after vacation.  All students who are participating in Fall 2 athletics or in person extra-curricular activities will be tested during the week of February 22nd, along with all staff in the district who have given consent.  During the week of March 1st, we will begin to test other grades.

Vacation Plans

As we enter a well deserved February break, this is a reminder about best practices to limit your exposure to COVID-19.  The Department of Public Health has outlined many best practices including, limiting the size of any gathering, limiting get-togethers to only people who live together or to a small group of individuals with whom they are regularly in contact, and avoiding travel. Anyone considering travel should review and abide by Massachusetts travel orders, and people who want to travel to another state that is not a lower-risk state should be aware of the quarantine requirements involved with such travel. 

All visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, who do not meet an exemption, are required to:

• Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival
• Quarantine for 10 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts. If not obtained before entry to Massachusetts, a test may be obtained after arrival. However, all such arriving travelers must immediately begin the 10-day quarantine until a negative test result has been received. 
• The only state that is exempt right now is if you are travelling to Hawaii.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at john.doherty@reading.k12.ma.us

Thanks.

John Doherty

Superintendent of Schools