Good Afternoon, Reading Public School Staff and Families,

I hope that you have had an amazing vacation!  We are now entering the final stretch of the school year and we will be transitioning to full in person for all levels.  Here is the Spring In Person Update #6.

• Full In Person Learning Begins for Middle School and High School Tomorrow-Beginning tomorrow, students (except those families who have chosen fully remote) will begin full in person learning at our middle and high schools.  We are very excited to be welcoming back Grades 6-12!  For the first time since March 13, 2020, all of our students will now be in person full time.

• Travel Advisory from the State-For those of you who travelled during April Vacation, we request that families and staff follow the state travel advisory. Anyone who has traveled and is not fully vaccinated should get a test within 72 hours of return, or quarantine until receiving a negative test. A PCR or Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen test is acceptable. Children under 10 are exempt from testing but should quarantine if the adults in the family are in quarantine, or until adults have received a negative test.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.    https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-travel-advisory

• Health Data for this Week-Below is the positive cases for this week.
  • 1 Killam student, no close contacts
  • 1 Birch student, no close contacts
  • 1 RMHS student who tested positive after there was an inconclusive pool test for football.  Contact tracing was complete.
  • 1 RMHS student, no close contacts
  • 1 Barrows student, no close contacts
  • 1 Wood End student, no close contacts
  • 1 Wood End staff member, no close contacts

• DESE changes definition of close contact for classrooms and busses-The following update to the quarantine guidance for close contacts was approved by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services after consultation with the Governor’s Medical Advisory Board on COVID-19 and other medical advisors. This updated guidance is effective immediately!
  
  Close contacts who were exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual in the classroom or on the bus while both individuals were masked do not have to quarantine unless they were within 3 feet of distance of the COVID-19 positive individual for a total of 15 minutes during a 24-hour period. This does not apply if someone was identified as a close contact outside of the classroom or bus (e.g., in sports, extra-curriculars, lunch, etc.) or if masks are not worn by both persons at the time of the exposure. All other close contacts must follow the standard protocol for when a close contact may return to school.

Because it is difficult for elementary students to stay within the 3 foot distancing, we will continue to maintain the practice of quarantining an entire elementary class if there is a positive case identified in the classroom.

The full guidance is posted on the COVID-19 guidance page and available for download.

As a reminder, DPH defines close contact as:

• Being within 6 feet of a COVID-19 case (someone who has tested positive) for a total of 15 minutes during a 24-hour period. Multiple brief or transitory interactions (less than a minute) throughout the day are unlikely to result in 15 minutes of cumulative contact and do not meet the definition of close contact. Being in the same room as an individual if you are consistently separated by 6 feet of distance does not meet the definition of a close contact.
• Close contact can occur while being with, caring for, living with, visiting, or sharing a healthcare waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case, OR
• Having direct physical contact with the person (e.g. hugging or kissing), OR
• Sharing eating or drinking utensils, OR

Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment.

• Pool Testing continues for the rest of the school year-We are pleased to announce that we will continue making pool testing available for all staff and students for the remainder of the school year.  This is an additional mitigation step that is critical to maintain a safe and healthy classroom environment.  If you have not signed up your child (ren) for pool testing and you would like to, 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. 

• Early Release Days moved to Fridays Next Year-For planning purposes, all early release days at all levels will be moved from Wednesdays to Fridays next year.  The survey that was sent out last month to staff and families was overwhelmingly in favor of this change.  Elementary dismissal for next year on Fridays will be at 12:45 p.m.   When there is a scheduled early release day at the middle school it will be at 1:00 p.m. and when there is a scheduled early release day at the high school, the dismissal will be at 1:30 p.m.

• RMHS Spring Sports begins tomorrow-This is a reminder that all RMHS spring sports begins tomorrow.  This includes,  baseball, softball, boys track, girls track, boys swim, girls lacrosse, boys lacrosse, wrestling, boys tennis, and girls tennis.  For the health and safety of our students and staff, pool testing will continue to be required for all students who participate in athletics and extra-curricular activities.

John Doherty

Superintendent

Reading Public Schools

82 Oakland Road

Reading, Massachusetts 01867

781-944-5800

John.doherty@reading.k12.ma.us