To: All LREI Families
From: Phil Kassen, Director
Re: Return to Campus and Testing Protocol
Date: September 21, 2020
_____________________________________
I write with updates on our return to campus in early October.
- First, in order to provide the teachers with the time they need to prepare for our transition from LREI@home to being in school in person there will be no classes on Friday, October 2. For LS and MS there will be no classes on Monday, October 5, which will be the first day of classes for the high school. Principals will share more details about these days. There will be no Forest School or Onsite Learning Care on Friday, September 2 or on Monday, October 5.
- Second, it is important that we begin the in-person term with all having had a baseline, or gateway, Covid-19 test before returning to campus on October 5, 6, or 8 (depending on the grade your child is in.) We ask that you arrange for your child to have a coronavirus test as described below.
Why:
- COVID-19 testing is an accurate picture of whether a person is infected at the moment they took the test. It is our hope that we will be able to identify people in our community who may be infectious prior to our full on-site reopening and ensure that they are able to isolate prior to returning to school.
- We must all recognize that that this testing will not guarantee that a member of the community will not have COVID-19 when we return, but together with the other prevention protocols we have put in place (0 tolerance illness policy, daily Magnus screenings, physical distancing and cohorts), will help to ensure the general health of the community.
- It is essential that after your child’s test procedure that they do their very best to minimize the risk of exposure. Wear a mask, wash your hands, minimize interactions with people outside of your immediate family.
When: Prior to LREI’s return to in-person classes.
- The test must be conducted between 9/26 and 9/30 and we must receive documentation of a negative result prior to returning to campus.
- When test results are available, email your official lab result report to “testresults@lrei.org.”
- Email is not HIPAA compliant. Do not email specific questions to this address. If you prefer to submit your child’s test results to a HIPAA compliant server, a requirement has been opened in your child’s Magnus account to upload the test result directly.
- Note: If your child is quarantined due to travel at the time of reopening, a negative test does not release them from that quarantine. For those who will be traveling and returning at a later date, please have your child tested in New York during the second week of their quarantine. If you have questions regarding the specifics of these special cases, please email Ava (adawson@lrei.org).
What: COVID-19 diagnostic testing. The test must be a PCR or a Saliva test.
We will not accept rapid antigen testing.
- If your child has previously tested positive for COVID-19 or COVID-19 antibodies, they must still have this screening test performed. Positive antibodies or a history of COVID-19 does not, at this time, confer immunity.
Where: The testing location of your choice. You may want to contact your primary care provider/child’s pediatrician (be sure to ask about their lab return time).
The following screening locations are also available:
New York City Health + Hospital Testing Sites
- Free, walk-in testing with locations throughout the city
- Most are out-doors (hospital sites are outside of the hospital)
- Open on Weekends
- Results within 2-5 days (fastest results available with the locations listed at hospital addresses)
- Performing anterior (lower) nasal and NP (nasopharyngeal) testing
- H+HC Testing Sites
City MD
- Accepts most insurance
- Walk-in testing with locations throughout the city
- Open on Weekends
- Results 3-5 days
- Note: Some locations will not test younger children
- Performing NP (nasopharyngeal) testing
- City MD Locations
PM Pediatrics
- Accepts most insurance
- Walk-in testing with locations in Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Long Island and NJ
- Open late evening and weekends
- Results 2-7 days
- Note: Specializes in children, will test adults
- Performing NP (nasopharyngeal) testing
- PM Pediatrics Locations
Vault
- Out of pocket, may be reimbursable by insurance or FSA depending on your plan ($150)
- Order test online, delivered to your residence. Perform the test at home and ship back to the facility.
- Results in 2-3 days
- Saliva test sample (no swabbing)
- Vault COVID-19 Testing
We will be in touch regarding ongoing testing protocols in the very near future.