Newton Public Schools will again offer COVID testing for students and staff during the 2021-22 school year. This year, NPS is participating in the state-sponsored multi-tiered COVID testing program, which will be administered by CIC Health.

There are three testing strategies, which are as follows:

• Symptomatic Testing: This protocol (a rapid test), will be used for students and staff who develop symptoms while at school. 
• Test and Stay (Close contact testing): This protocol (a rapid test) will be used to test unvaccinated asymptomatic individuals who have been identified as close contacts following possible exposure at school.
• Routine (Weekly) COVID Pooled Testing: This protocol (anterior nasal swab) will be used for the weekly COVID testing program.

Here are specific notes about the testing and consent:

• Testing will occur at school during the school day. Unlike last year, you will not administer the test at home and bring it to school.
• When you sign the consent form, you are agreeing to ALL THREE testing strategies (symptomatic, test and stay, and weekly.)
• The consent form can be found in Aspen. Please follow these instructions for accessing and signing the consent form.

You ARE REQUIRED to provide consent for your student to be tested. If you do not provide consent, your student will not be tested. Please log into Aspen to sign the consent form. Here is the Aspen Login Link. Having trouble logging into Aspen? Email: [email protected] 

We expect to begin testing in mid-September. A more specific timeline will be shared once the implementation details are finalized with CIC Health.