Green Ridge Elementary School was made aware of two students who had positive COVID tests. These students are in kindergarten and fifth grade. All contact tracing has been done and parents of students named as close contacts to the positive cases have been notified. Until recently, any of these potential close contacts named at school would be required to quarantine for a fourteen day period. DESE and DHSS now have another option for our students called Test to Stay. With this option, when a student, teacher, or staff member has been named a close contact, he/she can continue to attend school and participate in extracurricular activities if the Test to Stay criteria are met:
The close contact does not include a household exposure
The individual does not develop symptoms of COVID-19 throughout the full duration of the quarantine period (14 days past the last date of exposure to the case)
The individual wears a mask consistently and correctly in school at all times during their quarantine period, other than when eating or drinking. During eating and drinking, the individual should maintain a distance of 6 feet from other individuals to the extent feasible.
Receive a minimum of three rapid antigen tests during the first seven days of the quarantine period as outlined below:
Test One: Upon identification as a close contact
Tests Two and Three: A minimum of two additional rapid antigen tests, preferably on two non-consecutive school days within the first seven days of the quarantine period. Example: contact identified as as a close contact on day 2 of quarantine would be tested on day 2 (Wednesday); day 4 (Friday) and day 7 (Monday)
The testing is conducted upon entry to school and negative results received prior to return to the K-12 setting
For those participating in extracurricular activities, a negative test must also be received on the day of the game/event prior to being allowed to participate.
At-home tests are not accepted as proof of negative tests
This "Test to Stay" option has allowed us to keep 16 students at school to learn in an in-person environment.