North Delco News

Parkside Elementary School recently issued the following announcement.

Keeping students and teachers in the classroom

• Please note the Test-to-Stay Program will be temporarily paused the week of January 3, 2022 as we monitor COVID infections in both staff and student communities as they return to the classroom.  Test-to-Stay will be reinstated the week of January 10, 2022.
• Access your permission information here for Test-to-Stay
• A Test-To-Stay program allows students and staff, who are identified as close contacts in school during COVID-19 contact tracing and are asymptomatic, to continue to remain at school for work and learning. The program permits staff or students to avoid the onerous long-term quarantine from school by taking a routine COVID-19 BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen test over a period of time in which a student would otherwise be kept from school.
• Beginning Monday, November 8, if your child is identified as a COVID close contact, within school, and is asymptomatic, your child has the option of remaining in school provided you agree to our approved Test-to-Stay program. Details are as follows:

  A Close Contact Student who does not exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 may remain at school if:

  • The student shall be entirely asymptomatic without any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
  • The student shall wear a mask indoors when at school for the entirety of the Test-to-Stay program, even if all test results are negative.
  • Upon notification of an in-school school related exposure of COVID-19, the student will begin a series of three COVID-19 rapid antigen tests during a 10-day period (between days 1 and 2; days 3 and 4, and days 5 and 7). If there is a challenge in wearing masks, a fourth testing cycle is implemented during days 8 and 10. Further, at any time if COVID-19 symptoms arise in an individual during the first 10 days of close contact, the individual will need to leave school and get a PCR test.
  • If a positive test occurs, the student will need to leave school and isolate for 10 days.
• Other important points:
  • The Test-to-Stay program is entirely optional, and Parent/Guardian written permission is required to participate.
  • The BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen Test is used for the program and is administered by trained proctors.