Welcome Back To School !
We look forward to being back in the classrooms this year.
Here you can find important resources to ensure a successful and healthy school year:
Click here to search for a testing site near you. Call 844-857-1814 or go to portal.ri.gov to make an appointment.
To learn more about testing in the RI Schools visit COVID Testing Students and Staff
IF YOUR CHILD HAS SYMPTOMS:
Please keep all children home from school
Report symptoms to the school nurse to determine if COVID-19 testing is needed
Email the school nurse if illness occurs outside of school hours
Communication is important to ensure contact tracing if there is a positive case
Please complete the AFTER- ILLNESS RETURN ATTESTATION FORM and send it to the school nurse when your child is ready to return to school
IN KEEPING WITH OUTBREAK RESPONSE PROTOCOLS SET BY THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN THE SUMMARY BELOW. SPEAK WITH THE SCHOOL NURSE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
IF YOUR CHILD OR SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY IS TESTED FOR COVID-19:
All children must stay home from school pending testing results*
Rapid test results are usually available within hours
PCR (final) test results are usually available in 1-2 days
Household contacts must remain quarantined until PCR test results are confirmed negative*
Please provide the school nurse with a copy of your child’s PCR test results and the AFTER- ILLNESS RETURN ATTESTATION FORM
*(Exception to quarantine- those fully vaccinated or history of COVID-19 disease within last 90 days do not need to quarantine)
BPS QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS FOR CLOSE CONTACTS:
Vaccinated or history of COVID-19 within last 90 days:
Do not need to quarantine
RIDOH now requires vaccinated close contact to test on day 3-5 with a PCR test
Continue to monitor for symptoms for 14 days
Unvaccinated:
RIDOH offers a few options for quarantine following exposure to COVID-19, but does not dictate which option schools/districts should choose to implement
BPS protocol requires a close contact to quarantine for 7 days after exposure with a testing option on day 5 or later.
A COVID-19 negative PCR test is required to return to school on day 8
Continue to monitor for symptoms for a full 14 days and if symptoms develop, isolate and test
If refuse to test, must quarantine for full 14 days
BPS does not accept a negative COVID-19 test in lieu of quarantine
TRAVEL QUARANTINE INFORMATION:
There is no law requiring quarantine after travel, however, RIDOH strongly recommends following CDC guidance on travel quarantine as the best public health practice
More information about these recommendations can be found here
BPS will adhere to the following guidance:
RECOMMENDATIONS - DOMESTIC TRAVEL
Vaccinated - do not need to test or self quarantine
Unvaccinated - test 3-5 days after travel, self-quarantine for 7 full days
REQUIREMENTS - INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Vaccinated - test 3-5 days after travel, self-monitor for symptoms
Unvaccinated - test 3-5 days after travel AND self-quarantine for 7 full days
Students are not able to participate in distance learning during travel quarantine
Please speak with your principal or school nurse if you have any questions
COVID-19 TESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS:
The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), in collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), will now offer free COVID-19 testing at your child’s school as part of our efforts to address the coronavirus pandemic in our state.
Tests will be performed using the COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test and the PCR test, which have been made available to RIDOH from the federal government. For the Rapid Test, your child will receive one nasal swab and the results will be available within one hour. Parents/Guardians will receive a phone call if a child tests positive. We will send the PCR to a lab and results will be available in 48 hours.
School administrators and school nurses will have access to the results of the test. If you have any questions about testing through this program, please reach out to your child’s school.
If you would like your child to participate in COVID-19 testing, BPS needs your permission in order for your student to participate in this testing program.
Please complete this linked FORM for each child(ren) at Primrose School.
Thank you for your support of this new program and our efforts to expand the prevention, detection, and testing of COVID-19 in our state and within our schools.