Good Morning, Reading Public School Staff and Community,

I hope that you are enjoying this beautiful weekend.  Here is our third spring, reopening update.

1. Returning to School in Person-The Reading Public Schools has been busily preparing for our return to full in person learning.  We are on track to a full return for all of our students.  Elementary students will be returning full in person on Monday, April 5^th and middle and high students will be returning full in person on April 26^th.  Building principals will be providing more information in their newsletters.

2. Please continue all mitigation steps- Kristine Harris, our public health nurse for the Town of Reading, reported the following “I was contacted by Dr. Catherine Brown from DPH today to inform the Reading Health Department of the UK COVID variant B.1.1.7. in our community.”  Dr. Brown continued that it is critically important that we all continue all of the Covid preventive measures (distancing and masking) so as to prevent these variants, or any other mutations, from taking hold and creating their own outbreaks.  Variant B117 seems to be covered by vaccines, but Variants B1135 and P1 are not. And all three are present in MA.

3. Mask Wearing In Effect Until Further Notice-We wanted to remind all staff and students that mask wearing continues to be in effect for the foreseeable future, at least until the end of the school year.  Even though more and more staff are getting vaccinated, masks protect those who have not been vaccinated because vaccinated individuals can still carry the virus and transmit it to others.  The only time that staff are allowed to not wear masks is when they are alone in their classroom, at lunch with proper physical distancing, or office setting or on a mask break outside.  Students can have their masks off at lunch (with proper physical distancing) or outside on a mask break.

4. Windows and classroom doors-As we enter warmer weather, please open your windows and keep your classroom doors open to improve air flow.  This is an additional mitigation step to keep our students and staff safe.

5. COVID Cases This Week-This week we had some positive pools from our Monday pooled testing program.  All other pools this week were negative.  Here are the positive results of our pooled testing on Monday:

• 1 positive pool at Birch Meadow, reflex testing identified individual. One staff and fourteen students quarantined (three of the students rode a bus with the student).
• 1 positive pool at RISE. One was the class of the sibling of the Birch student. that student was symptomatic and presumed positive, all others in the pool antigen tested negative. 2 staff and students quarantined.

• 1 positive pool RMHS/RISE, positive individual (district staff)  identified. One staff quarantined.
• Total positive cases so far this week all close contacts have been notified.
  • 3 RMHS students, 2 remote, 1 in person.  No close contacts.
  • 1 Parker student, in person.  No close contacts.
  • 2 Coolidge remote students.  No close contacts.
  • 2 Birch Meadow students, 1 remote 1 in person.  One staff and fourteen students quarantined.
  • 1 Barrows remote, no close contacts.
  • 1 RISE in person.  2 staff and students quarantined.
  • 1 Wood End student remote.  No close contacts.
  • 1 RISE student remote.  No close contacts.

6. Pooled Testing-  As we transition to full in person learning, we are asking all staff and students to participate in the pool testing program.  This is an additional mitigation step that is critical to maintain a safe and healthy classroom environment.  Here is the link to give consent.  https://bit.ly/3oXiiSa.  If families who are currently in pool testing want to remove their consent, please contact Julian Carr at Julian.Carr@reading.k12.ma.us.  Please note that any changes in consent made over the weekend may not be able to be addressed until the following week.

7. Parent Training-Behavioral Health Coach Lauren Sabella will be presenting a parent training (see flier) on returning back to school.  This training is on Monday, March 29^th, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. on Zoom.  The zoom link for the presentation can be found here.  

John Doherty

Superintendent

Reading Public Schools

82 Oakland Road

Reading, Massachusetts 01867

781-944-5800

John.doherty@reading.k12.ma.us