The communication below provides important information from the Public Schools of Brookline. Translated versions are available at the following links:

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Dear Parents, Guardians, and Staff,

This week the Public Schools of Brookline initiated DESE's at-home weekly surveillance testing program with PSB staff. We will send test kits home for our students on Monday, February 7th, for use on Tuesday, February 8th. This new testing program is one layer added to our existing mitigation strategies. If you have not yet opted-in to receive your test kit, you may do so by completing these forms:

• Students: www.brookline.k12.ma.us/hometestoptin
• Staff: www.brookline.k12.ma.us/staffhometestoptin

Please sign up by Sunday evening to be eligible to receive a kit on Monday. You only need to sign up one time to regularly receive the test kits. Instructions on how to administer the test can be found here.

The week of February 14th test kits will be delivered for all staff and students. There will be no testing on Tuesday, February 22, due to school vacation, and we will instead request that all participants test on Sunday 2/27 before returning to school from February vacation. We will send a reminder during that time.

With the addition of the at-home surveillance testing program, we are stopping the Test and Stay program, as well as contact tracing. As such, individuals will no longer be identified as close contacts by school health professionals, and therefore will not need to quarantine. However, individuals may still be identified as close contacts outside of school settings (e.g. as a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 in their household). We have provided guidance for this on our attached updated COVID-19 protocols.

PSB has coordinated with the Brookline Department of Public Health to purchase additional rapid antigen at-home tests, which we will use to support more active testing for symptomatic students and staff.

Some examples of how we plan to use these at-home test kits:

• A student at school tests negative by a nurse by a nurse, but still has symptoms: we will send the student home with a test kit(s) and advise to test again the next day if they still have symptoms.
  
  
• A student is sent home after testing positive at school: we will give a test kit and suggest (not require) to test on day 5 before returning to school. We would give extra kits for other students in the family.
  
  
• A student or staff is home with symptoms: advice given to test. If staff or the student have opted into the DESE at-home testing program, they may use the DESE-supplied at-home test kit and PSB will replace it. If not participating, arrangements can be made to pick up a test kit at school.
  
  
• If a fully vaccinated staff or student has an outside-of-school close contact, the student or staff is allowed to come to school provided they remain asymptomatic. PSB will give a test kit and suggest (not required) they test on day 1 and day 5 of exposure. 

Please see our attached updated COVID-19 protocols, and refer to them for questions about testing positive, having symptoms, close contacts at home, and return to school guidance.

Thank you for your patience as we continue to adjust our practices as we strive to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible.

Sincerely,

PSB Student Health Services